Return My Love
by Indomitable Spirit
Summary: In doing what they each felt was best for the other, misunderstanding, pride, and pain tore them apart. Can they find their way back to each other despite their preconceived notions and …. Inuyasha? First fanfic. Please RR. SessXolderRin.
1. Chapter 1

RETURN MY LOVE

Summary: In doing what they each felt was best for the other, misunderstanding, pride, and pain tore them apart. Can they find their way back to each other despite their perceived notions and …. Inuyasha? (First attempt at fanfiction. Please RR.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

_**Chapter 1: FOUND!**_

His heart thundered loudly inside the small confining cavity of his chest. A staccato of pounding beats reverberated and galloped madly like a wild horse out of control.

Before his very eyes stood the apparition that had haunted his dreams endlessly for the last two years. A sight he thought he would never see again on this side of life.

Hah! Human years meant nothing to him. The great Taiyoukai of the West was immortal. Free to live as he pleased and to do what he desired most. _He_ was answerable to no one.

But yet those two short years were the longest span of his life. Even longer than the years that he had been alive. And that was only a short five centuries ago. The muscle in his jaw clenched tightly and sharp claws dug deep enough to draw blood that Sesshomaru could feel a slight dampness in his fisted palm.

A monumental anger rose like bile in his mouth but he forcefully clamped it down while trying to gather his wits about him. Like a mother who punished her lost child after swearing that she would forgive him of anything if only he return safe and sound to her arms again, Sesshomaru almost forgot his vow to maintain a calm façade.

How dared she put him through that excruciating misery! Not one word nor even a breath of her whereabouts.

She had disappeared like a thief in the night with only a few strands of precious hair left haphazardly behind on the floor of her chamber. The mere sight of them relentlessly pierced at his normally implacable conscience of longing thoughts for their owner. Thoughts of whether she was safe and warm somewhere in this vast land, of whether she was eating properly, or resting sufficiently, or even falling in love with a man, had flitted constantly in his mind during her long absence. He, who had never cared about anyone else's welfare, found his happiness so deeply and irrevocably anchored to this human girl.

But because of his enormous arrogance and sheer stupidity, Rin had left him, believing that she had no prominence in his life. That she was nothing of value in his grand scheme of conquest for power.

Power. She believed _that_ was and always had been her lord's primary focus.

_Of course, how could she not?_ He wondered while berating himself silently. She was constantly reminded of her lord's seemingly unswerving agenda due to Jaken's ceaseless and idiotic blatherings, and of course, Sesshomaru's haughty silence only added weight to her preconceived notions.

Yet apparently, she was never grudging or apprehensive about his intent. To her adoring eyes, her Lord Sesshomaru was easily the most powerful demon alive. His skills knew no bound and it was justified that he sought to maintain his supremacy. Knowing Rin, Sesshomaru never doubted her steadfast defense of his relentless clamor for power, his chosen path. But of course, she would _always_ put his needs paramount to her own even at the risk of her own life.

Not that she didn't realize his weakness nor his arrogance. She was not foolish to mindlessly idolize him. She knew he had feet of clay; had faults like everyone else. They were not revealed as frequently but Sesshomaru knew he certainly had both his fits and his lighter moments which he allowed no one to witness except for her. But in spite of or perhaps because of those flaws, she cared about him. Not as lord, not as the most powerful demon, and certainly not as the wealthiest creature in almost all of Japan. But just as a being with a heart, as a creature who could appreciate the beauty of moonlight, who had provided shelter to an orphan lost and alone, and who had cooperated with his hanyou half-brother to destroy evil for the peace of their lands.

So when did his quest for power become secondary to her safety?

How did her feelings, her joy get so intimately woven, so necessary to his happiness?

Sesshomaru did not want to believe that his pride could so immediately take a back seat to a mere slip of a girl. If he were truthful with himself, he would have to acknowledge her power over him begun from _that_ first moment.

Yet, in all their years together, she was profoundly conscious that his focus certainly was not some weakling of a human child who was only a short blight on his unceasing life. And when that focus deviated, the lord could not find it within him to tell her. Damn his reluctant, repressed nature. Years and centuries of self sufficiency and aloneness, Lord Sesshomaru's guardedness became second nature, as automatic as breathing. It was only recently that the dog demon was honest to realize the blame of her misperception rested entirely on his shoulders. How he had berated himself for his foolishness which only left him in a vast empty vacuum without her.

----XX-----

After quickly realizing Rin had disappeared, Sesshomaru had turned the world upside down in searching for her. His wrath was frightening to witness; it was even more terrifying because it was so blatant, so obvious since he did nothing to disguise his displeasure. In fact, he seemed to _revel_ in it. Sesshomaru had always thought before he speak, strategized before he act to ensure his imminent victory, assessed before making a move in a given direction.

But he did not realize how truly powerful he was when he felt that there was nothing on heaven, earth or hell to keep him from finding her. All stops were unplugged. No bars held. The lord's incalculable strength and energy that he poured into this effort knew no limit.

In the beginning of his search for the missing girl, his ruthlessness achieved even greater heights than even before he met the girl child on that fateful day. One wrong word spoken by demons whom he sought information about her and those demons would be slain. One belittling snickering about the human girl meant instantaneous death to the speaker.

Yet the days became months and months became years. His wrath became less vitriolic but his temperament worsened. It was as though he had become more numbed and more yielding to the inevitable fact that perhaps he would never see his human girl again. The one he had painstakingly nurtured to adulthood. She would never know of the numerous times when human ailments fell upon her and of how he hovered nearby anxiously monitoring her recuperation, unbeknownst to the other servants. She would never know that he had turned many suitors away because he thought she was not psychologically or physically ready to handle that side of intimacy just yet. She was not to know that he enjoyed her soothing presence more than he let on. She was not to know that he felt something akin to a small state of panic when she became hurt or injured in this violent world of theirs.

Somewhere along the way, his protectiveness took on a different flavor.

It became something more ardent, more possessive, more lover-like and Sesshomaru did NOT like that one bit. It had taken him a while to come to terms with his feelings for her. His staunch refusal to acknowledge that she meant something to him may have been too late.

Ever since her disappearance, gloom hung heavily in his heart, but on the outside, if it were possible, he was colder, more impassive and more withdrawn into himself.

In the past, when Rin was still traveling with them, Sesshomaru would deliberately stop more often at his homeland on the pretext of filling supplies, catching up on news, and getting status on his home front. It was done wordlessly but the unheralded thoughtfulness didn't go unnoticed by the young girl. For his pain, she would flash those extra bright smiles that lit up her face even more acknowledging her gratefulness for his action.

Now, Jaken lamented the fact that the lord was almost never at home. It was as if the house indicted him of his own folly and it never failed to remind him that the human was no longer residing there. Lord Sesshomaru seemed anxious to leave that oppressive mood for the open territory almost immediately whenever he stopped by home. What upset Jaken more was that lord Sesshomaru-sama now preferred to travel by himself. Even Jaken was forbidden to come along. Indeed, Sesshomaru had quite given up hope of finding the girl. The dog demon had never realized what power this slight creature held over him until she was no longer at his side. Because of her, he finally acknowledged to himself the depth and magnitude of his feelings for her.

Yet, he never thought he would see his human again in such strange circumstances….

TBC

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	2. Chapter 2

**RETURN MY LOVE**

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

(**A/N**: Thank you for your encouragement. Sorry it took me a while to update what with a full-time job, being a mom, being a wife and …just being…..in general. Life happens. LOL. Fair warning. This is a longer chapter and do forgive me if it seems slow-moving as I lay the foundation and provide a frame of reference. Also, I will try to keep the characters …well…in character as much as possible. So enjoy! )

------XX------

_**Chapter 2: MYSTERY**_

Perched high above ground and at some distance from them undetectable to human senses, Sesshomaru silently watched the couple behaving tenderly with each other. A frown deepened the smooth white forehead but the demon lord was totally riveted to the scene. It was like picking at a gaping wound and making it worse by the moment, but the dog demon could neither resist nor desist.

He simply could _not_ turn away.

But what he was witnessing was enough to make his claws itch to destroy something, anything.

He, the great lord of the Western lands, who stood victorious and calm against all adversaries, was sickening for love of a simple human girl.

Sometimes these damn keen senses gave him_ much_ more than what he wanted to know.

This _was_ definitely one of those times.

_He didn't care to know that her affections were directed at some one else. _

_He certainly didn't want to hear her soft laughter tinkling at something said by the half-breed. It could only be something inane and absurd coming from that idiot. _

_And he never, ever wanted to see her exchanging kisses with anyone else even if it were only an innocent peck on the cheek. _

Those sharp golden eyes, nose and elfin ears easily detected the unmistakable _affection_ those two have for each other. Their soft words whispered through the quiet night air. The male hovered protectively close to the young girl as he prepared the fish newly caught from the nearby stream that apparently was part of their dinner.

Sesshomaru inhaled and felt a sharp pang somewhere in the region of his heart. Jealousy flared throughout his body and like a flame, it scorched his soul.

_Why would she do this? _

Did she mean to make him suffer for his transgression?

She damn well succeeded if that were truly her intentions, wounding him to the point that he wanted to retreat momentarily to privately lick his wounds like a dog that he was. He could barely leash his anger and frustration.

Those soft touches, those gentle looks, those loving smiles she was casting to his half-brother rightfully_ belonged_ to him.

_Only to him. _

Never in his life had any creature stood between what the demon lord wanted and his possessions. Although many have tried, it was all in vain. Sesshomaru did not easily part company with things he considered as his.

_How careless of Inuyasha_.

The hanyou must have desired an early demise. Surely, Inuyasha would have understood, better than anyone else, the possessive streak that permeated in their shared bloodstream. It was their inescapable nature as canines to protect and preserve their pack at all costs.

But wait. Something was not quite right.

Sesshomaru lightly lifted his face and sniffed the air. No, he could not detect even a slight hint of malice in the girl's sweet, delicate scent.

She _was_ affectionate to the half-breed because she actually and truly meant it.

No artifice, no subterfuge in her actions.

Those were her unmistakable character prints, her undeniable trademarks. Her innate traits.

It _was_ true. Those two simply radiated contentment.

_Contentment_.

_Feh !_ What a meek and mild word that was, not worthy to be spat past his lips. Why would one settled for contentment when they could find that one love that transcended time and space, that one love which was as deep and intense as the blue waters of the ocean, that one love that could exhilarate the soul to the highest of heavens.

Gods, he was waxing poetics in his mind, the muscle in his jaw tensed making his impassive face even more foreboding. Sesshomaru made a wry face, a mirthless smile crossed his icy features.

_I am getting ridiculous!_

His low growls of deep agitation and perturbed thoughts must have alerted even the inferior senses of his hanyou brother since Inuyasha suddenly stiffened his back and straightened his shoulders as though preparing for battle. The honey eyes, indicative of kinship to the demon lord, lost their softness and presumed a sharpness as he scanned the area, nose wrinkling in disgust as he sensed the approaching presence of the Taiyoukai. Although the two brothers had come to a reluctant truce and a guarded respect for each other over the years, it did not mean that they would automatically embrace each other with joy.

"Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha's voice floated in the stillness of the forest. "Baka, you might as well show yourself and come meet us." The stark whiteness of his hair flicked impatiently against the billowing sleeves of the fire-rat kimono as he raised his head and hollered at the yet unseen intruder while his ears twitched aggressively.

Inuyasha's nostrils flared slightly as the scent of his older brother became more obvious. So it _was_ the demon lord.

-----XX-----

It was only later that evening when he and girl had returned to their makeshift camp that Inuyasha was certain as he detected the unique scent pinpointing Sesshomaru's encroaching proximity.

Inuyasha figured that it would not be long before his half-brother would find them.

_Good._

The hanyou smirked, fangs widened in a flinty smile and his stance became locked in an unknowingly defensive position.

_The sooner this was done, the sooner they could each go about their business once again_.

Not exactly knowing how Sesshomaru would react upon yet seeing another human in sight, Inuyasha swung his gaze back to the slender girl. He motioned to the girl and taking the gesture, she rose from the fireside and glided gracefully next to the hanyou to be folded into his embrace as they waited expectantly for the brother to show himself.

----XX-----

The wind shifted slightly before an eerie stillness seemed to settle in their surrounding. Then a vision in white descended on them from a white ball of light that streaked across the horizon before stationing quietly in front of them.

(**A/N**: The description below was slightly inspired by Michael Tang's Spirapride's picture of Sesshomaru in DeviantArt. It is one of the best Sesshomaru pix I've ever seen. It is **incredible**…what a grim, angry looking demon but just oozing with masculine sexiness and a _baddd-boy_ attitude !)

When the orb of bright light dispersed, it revealed a majestic tall, lean figure of the Inu Taiyoukai. Long, long strands of silvery hair shimmered and waved gently in the soft moonlight turning it to a blue-silver halo. All the light of the night seemed to be gathered up and pulled into this nimbus making this creature glow in such an unearthly and unreal manner. In contrast, hard golden eyes stared at them uncompromisingly and without expression. The angular face was even more pronounced with two maroon stripes jagged along each lean cheek. A blue crescent moon perched proudly in the middle of the high, intelligent forehead and pointed elfin ears clearly set him apart as a full-blooded demon. His white flowing robe dotted with small, intricately embroidered cherry blossoms was anchored by a purple and yellow obi. A spiked armor completed the elegant creature's regal aura. Elegant, tapered claws never strayed far from the two swords that hung by his waist. The hand seemed relaxed but, somehow, the human girl sensed the power and the lightning quickness behind the assumed nonchalance and she shivered slightly at the sheer potent maleness of this being.

----XX------

Rin eyed the figure in wonder, her breath fluttered in the back of her soft throat. For one brief crazy moment, she felt a flash of recognition for this incredible creature. It was unsettling to say the least; she was _sure_ that they had never set eyes on each other before.

_He_ was too magnificent to be forgotten or be dismissed so easily from mind.

Feeling her gaze on him, the demon lord held her stare and a spark of awareness flooded her body, suffusing it with unexpected warmth. Mysterious golden eyes were intensely trained on her as though willing her to admit to something and beckoning to him. Rin was privately glad that Inuyasha had her anchored down by his side, otherwise, it would be all too easy to yield to the unspoken demands of those strange eyes.

The silence stretched on.

So unnerving.

_Impossible, I had never seen him before_. It probably was the resemblance Inuyasha shared with his half-brother that made her feel oddly connected to the demon lord. She shook her head slightly trying to clear her stray thoughts, the motion making the cloudy waves of black hair cascaded and bounced gracefully on her small back.

He _was _most assuredly beautiful in a majestic way. Inuyasha was not joking when he described Lord Sesshomaru, although his words were acerbic and pointed rather than complimentary. Obviously, not much affection transpired in the hearts of the brothers, she surmised. The lord's demeanor and posture positively exuded ice and unrelenting ruthlessness. It seeped through every pore of his body. Not a single trace of compassion seemed to exist in the lean, powerful frame or in the molten eyes that glowed eerily in the darkened night. Rin remembered a feeling strangely vulnerable when her eyes first met his gaze across the twilight. It was only momentary but she thought she saw something flickered deep in the golden orbs before she finally and deliberately broke eye contact and felt deeply relieved when the intense gaze swung to focus on Inuyasha. Rin shivered and unconsciously stepped closer to the hanyou not knowing why she suddenly sensed a threat to her happiness with Inuyasha, as though an invisible gauntlet had been flung onto the ground in front of them by this demon lord.

_Stop being so melodramatic. He was probably yet disgusted at the presence of another human infesting his lands. But surely we would not dwell in this strange land for too long._

-----XX-----

Feeling her misgiving and putting it down as nervousness in meeting his rather overwhelming half-brother, Inuyasha rubbed her arm gently and smiled comfortingly into worried deep sherry-brown eyes. _Relax_, his eyes assured her, _I can handle my brother. Besides, he has no interests in either of us. This is just a matter of courtesy to introduce you and we'll go our separate ways again._ Still, Rin could not completely tamp down on her suspicion that the older brother might be a force to be reckoned with and she edged even closer to the hanyou.

---XX----

_Damn him. He will have to wipe that stupid smirk off the hanyou's face. _

_He dared to touch her._

Sesshomaru's mind snarled silently, eyes narrowed dangerously as he watched the easy manner in which Inuyasha draped his arm carelessly across the girl's slender shoulders. The wind sighed gently and shifted the silver mane as the long strands glided gracefully around the lithe physique of the demon lord. Finely sculpted brows drew together into a straighter line and his lips thinned imperceptibly, while the crescent half-moon on his forehead almost seemed to throb painfully.

How he would have the greatest pleasure to knock that arm away from her!

Better yet, he could cut it off with his Toukijin and thus return a long and overdue favor when that stupid boy cut off his left arm. A slightly evil smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as he found sardonic, unexpectedly quirky humor in this thought.

It would only be that what hanyou deserved.

_We shall see how this game is played out._

"So, is this the ningen the reason for your return from your travels?" Cold, unemotional voice asked the hanyou as Sesshomaru flicked another quick look to the slight girl standing next to his brother, while harshly pulling his wandering thoughts together and schooling his features back into their familiar, indifferent mask.

-----XX-----

To his blasé eyes, she had grown even lovelier in the time they were apart. But Sesshomaru had to admit, it was never the outward beauty that captured his attention so long ago. It was the inner fire and strength she possessed that had him mesmerized and intrigued. When they first met, she was totally unafraid and undeterred by his reluctance to have her nearby and he was captivated by her unquenchable optimism for all things and despite everything. For all of his heartlessness and icy exterior he chose to show to the world, Sesshomaru was an intensely private creature who felt things rather deeply and he knew that the girl child saw through the icy façade rather quite early on in their acquaintance. He was surprised at her perspicacity in so young a child. She had found the proverbial chink in his otherwise impenetrable armor. For him to recognize such kindred spirit especially in a human girl, it was galling to his sense of propriety, of his perception on whole order of the universe.

For how could a human and a demon see "eye-to-eye" on anything much less get along without killing each other? Because it was so bizarre…. so unacceptable, it made him emphatically suppress the importance of her to his existence for the longest of time. But now, now he wished to own those qualities for himself, to know that he could bring her happiness and watch the dark eyes light up even more. Sesshomaru wanted the joy she had brought him just being near him.

No wonder, Inuyasha may be a stupid oaf but he apparently knew better than to pass up a chance to possess such a rare treasure. The eternal hopefulness, the gentleness of her soul, and the serenity of her voice had caused a hardened, stoic lord to crumble. What chance would a half human like Inuyasha have to withstand against such disarming arsenal of appealing qualities.

Ironically, Sesshomaru came to the full realization that he, the mighty ruler of the West, was an even _worse_ kind of baka than his half-brother because _he_ did deny her; he did let all that was wonderful slip through his hand.

But maybe, maybe the fates were kind enough to give him a second chance with this lovely creature.

He will not fail this time.

-----XX------

When brown eyes locked with golden ones in what could have been eons or just mere seconds, Sesshomaru's mind was seared of this new image of Rin in his mind. Long ebony hair shone and waved in the glow of the firelight, making the mysterious auburn streaks dance and reflect deep in the flame. The lightened streaks were, no doubt, from endless hours spent in the brilliant sunshine. Like a lover, her tresses clung to her form adoringly.

_So, she had let it grow out again._ The wavy locks seemed to have a life of their own, drawing attention to their sheen and softness as they fluttered in the light breeze of the night. Creamy complexion beckoning a person to touch and experience the softness for himself. Smooth, vulnerable cheeks bloomed with just a hint of a blush as she eyed the demon lord warily. Slender body hugged close to Inuyasha as though seeking shelter from the onslaught of a formidable storm. Sesshomaru knew well that the girl considered herself only as average in terms of looks. Never had she put much store in that aspect preferring to dwell on the other things more interesting than herself as she had told Jaken in the past.

That innocence, that lack of self-centeredness intrigued him. All her actions had always been focused on the comfort of the creatures around her. He had never met anyone who was not self-serving until he met the girl child. What she didn't realize was that her allure came from the beauty within. That it emanated and manifested itself outward to make her countenance even lovelier and more ethereal. That was the spell she cast on him.

Her simple mode of dress was designed purely for convenience. Even with the boyish trappings, it could not completely disguise her delicate form. The plain kimono was split up to the waist and the pair of hakama underneath only emphasized long, coltish legs seeming to stretch forever. The legs finally culminated into a tiny waist that the Taiyoukai could easily span with just one hand. He remembered that she could barely reach his chest several years ago. Now surely, her head would topple near his shoulder.

Sesshomaru suppressed the instinctive urge to reach out and touch her for himself. First to assure himself that she was indeed not a figment of his imagination after such a long separation. Second, it was to satisfy a baser need to see whether or not she felt delicious as she looked. It had been too long and he was starved for the sight, sound and touch of this young woman.

Yet outwardly, he pointedly continued to ignore the girl after he had briefly locked gazes with her as he came into their presence. Kami knew what would happen to his resolve if he should let his eyes linger too long on her or had she shown the slightest inclination of recognizing him. Inuyasha or no Inuyasha, he could not and would not lose control until he solved this mystery.

"Yeah." His brother replied and Sesshomaru had to gather back his stray thoughts and concentrate on the hanyou again. "We met accidentally while she was battling some inferior demons and I thought I joined forces with her." Inuyasha glanced down at the lovely girl beside him and grinned widely. "Don't let her fool you with all that fragile air. Rin is as tough as it gets. She would make a worthy enemy." He turned and winked affectionately and nuzzled his face near her cheeks. His antagonism with his older brother momentarily forgotten.

"Inuyasha, please." Rin admonished him gently but her naturally rosy lips curved softly into a slight smile as the corners tilted at his teasing. "Please don't make Lord Sesshomaru think badly of me on our first meeting."

Out of the corner of her eyes, she thought Sesshomaru's body gave a slight jerk.

The girl wondered what could have caused the lord to be so tense, so brooding. Her sight and scents must be totally offensive to him and he was having a difficult time dealing with it. Her human senses were not as acute as a demon but Rin thought it was bizarre in how she seemed to zone on him and his feelings so easily and quickly.

-----XX-----

_His_ name sounded so sweet in her voice.

'_Lord Sesshomaru, Lord Sesshomaru, Lord Sesshomaru, Lord Sesshomaru…'_

Those words echoed in his head, intoxicating his senses as it invoked his memory….

Visions of her as a young child calling out to attract his attention when she found a new species of flower in the fields, of her as an adolescent laughing as she teased Jaken mercilessly, of her as a young woman warm and excited beneath him, of her moaning his name softly in their first passionate kiss. He shuddered slightly at the sensual reminders, achingly and vibrantly aware of the flood of desire that wanted to take over his senses yet again.

_This_ had been a hell of a shocking day even for him and he could feel the need to lash out at something to vent his helplessness of the bizarre situation he seemed to be caught in.

Ironically, the only thing that made him maintain some semblance of his reason was that there was _absolutely_ no recognition, no lingering remembrance in the girl's tone. To the girl, it was as if he meant nothing more to her than as Inuyasha's older and estranged half-brother. In a twisted way, Sesshomaru was profoundly glad that not a glimmer of recognition radiated from the girl.

Had she expressed even a minute nuance that she knew him, it would have meant that no distance could have separated her from his touch.

Though her mind did not recognize him, however, his senses were wordlessly alerted to the increased pulse, the slight bloom of color in the smooth cheeks, and the quickened breathing from the girl. These signs told him that she was not totally immune to the demon lord's presence.

_Oh yes, my Rin. You should be wary. I intend to bring you to your senses. I don't know what game you are playing but I will get you back. You are mine. _Sesshomaru vowed to himself, straightening his stance as though readying for a fierce battle and looked even more intimidating.

-----XX------

Inuyasha watched his brother suspiciously, his own eyes narrowing as he sensed a swirl of youki energy pulsing from the demon lord. Sesshomaru had exuded some strange vibrations that were oddly unsettling. But the hanyou could not decipher the root causes. Perhaps his brother was clenching his nose at the stench of yet another human in his presence. All Inuyasha was concerned at this moment of introduction that Sesshomaru had better not say anything demeaning to Rin or he would have to put his hash to right. His hand strayed to the Tetsusaiga involuntarily.

"Inuyasha." The golden eyes pierced the hanyou with a withering glance before his voice address the hanyou in a totally disinterested manner. "You need not draw your sword." He inclined his head to acknowledge his peaceful intent.

-----XX-----

The years had seen a slight transformation in the brothers' relationship. They no longer automatically went for each other's throats whenever in close vicinity. Sesshomaru no longer desired the Tetsusaiga when he realized the fang kept the hanyou's demon blood sealed and controlled. He realized this a long time ago. Their father, wise demon lord that he was, entrusted Tetsusaiga to Inuyasha and the Tenseiga to his heir, Sesshomaru. Perhaps the old man knew without a doubt that the two would hold a natural animosity to each other; he made it almost virtually impossible for one to slay the other. After countless battles, the brothers began to see the futility of it and avoided each other, seeking their own ways and their own destinies.

_Inuyasha…._

How he used to detest that name.

Sesshomaru deeply resented Inuyasha when the pup was born. He was the direct product of his great father and a frail human woman. His intense dislike was primarily due to jealousy and hurt when his father seemed to have forgotten about Sesshomaru's own mother so quickly after her death and found her replacement so rapidly. For all his emotionally repressed mannerisms, the sheer unorthodox manner of his father's second mating made Sesshomaru balk at what he felt was offensive to traditions and customs of their clan. To add insult to injury, when Inuyasha was born, his father risked his very life to save the mother and her newborn.

_Such sacrifice, such weakness, such foolishness. _

Sesshomaru had been angry that his father did not falter in his single-minded desire to protect his weak family and that anger transferred itself to the half-breed baby who had inadvertently stripped Sesshomaru of what he held most dear.

Apparently, history seemed to repeat itself with Inuyasha's new love. It if weren't so pathetic that the great demon lord also desired this same girl, Sesshomaru felt he would have chuckled at the damnable irony of it all. The resentment became pity when Sesshomaru realized that Inuyasha was a young fool who let his emotions, his feelings get the better of him. It made him so much less efficient as a warrior. Such rashness could only lead to an early death on the battlefield.

But apparently, Inuyasha appeared none worst for the wear upon his arrival back to his native soil. Surely, there were some changes he detected in the boy. New lines of cynicism etched a little bit more strongly in the younger son's eyes. A new layer of world-weariness cloaked his body like a second skin.

_What didn't kill you will help you learn_ and that was what probably happened to the boy. All demons worth their salt must go through a self-enlightenment process as they seek to define their purposes in this world.

Sesshomaru himself _certainly_ did.

Sesshomaru had heard rumors preceding the return of his half-brother. Inuyasha had purportedly found the "love of his life" and was now showing her his roots. Although he was not obligated to present her to his elder brother, when push came to shove, Inuyasha was a closet traditionalist. Rin often teased him about it.

Sesshomaru often wondered about the other females whose scents clung to his brother in his younger years and was extremely skeptical that Inuyasha, being half-human, would have been able to settle down with one life mate. Humans were never really known as faithful creatures and the demon world despised them for such fickleness. However, being the dog that he was, he was highly curious to see this person who apparently could pull Inuyasha away from his first love, that strange miko.

Imagine his silent dismay when the lord saw the girl in question.

Inuyasha had come back from his far-flung travels with a purpose. And what a distracting purpose the girl was, _he_ should have known.

Sharp claws flexed automatically as Sesshomaru bent his powerful brain trying to decipher the mystery before him. Although, he did not know what game was being enacted out and by what rules, Sesshomaru felt the familiar exhilaration shot through his body like a stimulant as his senses became focused on one objective.

A chase. Sesshomaru cracked his knuckles under the large hem of his haori's sleeve and felt the adrenalin kicked in.

The thrill of this challenge engulfed him.

But this time, this time, he so coveted the prize that he was just about willing to do anything, anything at all to gain it for his own.

TBC

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	3. Chapter 3

**RETURN MY LOVE**

**_Chapter 3: CHANCE ENCOUNTER_**

Disclaimer: Do not own Inuyasha.

Rin's POV

_(Flashback: Six Months Ago)_

When Rin heard the battle cry, she was momentarily distracted by a flash of red whizzing by her peripheral vision and landing squarely in front of her. The lean figure of a male's back effectively isolated the girl from her attackers. Looking at his scarlet-clad back, she noted the white hair tousled by the light breeze and her heart contracted momentarily as a flash of recognition flitted across her mind only to be pushed aside just as quickly. Rin could feel the start of a dull ache at the back of her eyes as her memory was triggered by a niggling familiarity. The onset of one of those headache bouts would usually bring nausea that would leave her physically drained and slightly disoriented as her mind grapple to assimilate the new memory input. Lately, those nasty attacks seemed to be more frequent, more easily summoned.

Rin was not overly concerned. Aya did warn her that those headaches are a natural part of her memory trying to heal itself as she tried to piece the fragments together. And Rin was willing to suffer much to gain back a piece of her missing life.

_All in the name of self-rediscovery._

Dear Aya. Sweet, generous Aya.

Thinking about the gentle healer brought a curve to the girl's lips lighting up the delicate face as though the sunshine had broken through a misty morning. Rin missed her savior and friend so terribly. She clung to Aya's words like a lifeline as though they were the only things that encourage her to persevere. Still, they did not make the long nights any more enjoyable or the task less arduous in finding clues that could possibly connect together her past and present.

According to Aya, Rin was just passing through the healer's village when she found herself staying to defend the people when a band of unruly demons had invaded the area rummaging for food. The villagers had never been so grateful for this wisp of a warrior girl who had suddenly appeared in their midst and bravely fought off those monsters.

During Rin's convalescence from the battle, it was Aya who gradually explained the bare-bone capacity of the village's defense and the implicit reason why the girl had stayed to help. At the time, the majority of the male citizenry had been called away to help adjacent villages that had been recently and severely raided by a rash of bandits traveling through their towns. The cavalry had gone to nearby villages to drive out bandits and the remaining crew was not necessarily the most capable. It was so blatantly apparent when these roving demons descended on them. The villagers were like sitting ducks in plain sight.

No one in Aya's village knew of the girl's background but was grateful for her helping hands. They had supposed she was but one of many of the transients who flitted through their village ever so often to barter or buy goods that she was not otherwise able to provide with her own two hands. Certainly, they blessed the gods that who intervened on their behalf by placing the girl where she needed to be and at the right moment.

The girl had fought with such valor and the village warriors became emboldened by tat courage. Her small blades effortlessly and elegantly flew around her like poetry in motion. Coupled with her fierce determination apparent in the mutinous set of soft full lips, she was resolved to defend the town with every fiber of her being. But despite her heroic effort, the young girl became injured during the battle and had awakened from her confinement with a setback. Her most serious wound was a huge bruise along the left edge of her temple. One of the demons, half-crazed with pain when Rin managed to imbed one of her blades into his shoulder, delivered a vicious backhand and sent Rin flying through the air to land awkwardly at the base of old gnarled oak tree. Rin had awakened to a blank recollection of nothing of her memory except her name.

Aya herself took on the burden of caring for the young warrior. It was the least she could do on behalf of the town to repay their debt to their unexpected rescuer. The elderly healer was confident that it would be a matter of time before the young girl's physical health was regained and her memory lapse reconnected. At first, Aya thought it was more life threatening, but she was relieved to find no worse injury except for the blue-purplish bruise near young girl's left temple.

Aya was most adamant in keeping Rin with her for as long as possible. She wanted the physical wounds to heal completely and inwardly dreaded the day when the girl would want to leave her in search of her missing past. The elderly woman had grown attached to the lovely young thing but could understand the misery Rin's family must have felt not knowing what happened to their child.

Judging from the youthful bloom of her cheeks and the obvious innocence of her gaze, Aya had guessed the girl to be about eighteen or nineteen years of age. How in the world she was still unattached was a mystery since most girls in Aya's village already were married and had children by then. But unfortunately, Rin-chan could not refute her age or give them any more specific information about her.

Rin was grateful for the care she had received from Aya who treated her as a very well-loved family member. It wrenched Rin's heart to leave the elderly woman who had been nothing but kindness itself. Regardless of their reluctance to see her leave, the villagers had respected her wish to find her roots. They could not, in all sincerity, stop her from her goal.

So then on one bright sunny day, Rin said her goodbyes. Since leaving Aya's home a little more than six months ago, Rin had been moving in a westerly direction. She had no real firm reason in taking this path except that she wanted to follow the golden sun. She had remembered her decision with wry humor. It was as about as scientific as tossing a coin. But throughout her recovery from her bout with the demon foes that attacked Aya's village, Rin was plagued with a feeling of being needed by someone, of being essential to someone's happiness, of being yearned.

She was apparently important to another being.

This possibility both excited and intimidated her and it spurred her on. Rin's recent dreams had consisted of vague figures shrouded in mist, of a deep voice calling her name, of soothing touches from fingers raking gently through her hair. Her instincts as guide, Rin let the west beckon her.

During her sojourn, Rin tried to be as inconspicuous as much as possible, hiding the glossy, black hair under a worn and tattered straw hat whose wide bream kept her visage well hidden from curious on-lookers. Masculine attire of hakama and haori was favored over anything girlish or extravagant. Not that she could have afforded them anyway. The bland and blatantly male mode of dress also served the practical purpose of avoiding unwelcome attention.

The western lands proved to be tricky in nature to navigate as though it was cloaking its paths especially from humans. Thick forestry greatly hindered her progress and Rin felt more cut off the deeper she headed into the heart of the region. She had to use some considerable strength to clear through some particularly dense patches of forest and the farther she went, the more isolated she felt. But something was tugging her on. Something that promised to answer all her questions if she but follow.

It was strangely contradictory but Rin was adamant the forests of this land spoke to her even as it tried to block her way. The sighing of the wind tugged gently at her hair beseeching her on and the rustling of the leaves were like words from a lullaby of long ago. But, like a helpless enfant, she could not yet comprehend the message. The weathered, ancient trees lined the forest floors as though standing guards to welcome the return of the prodigal child. Truly, they were testaments of time and Rin felt insignificant compared to their grand, unending life. The very limitless unending cycle of nature surrounding the girl made her more profoundly aware of her own short mortal life.

This land stood sentinel and she wondered what it has witnessed through the passage of time. There was not much life, human or otherwise, but the lush vegetation provided plenty sustenance to the industrious. The sheer lack of life made the greenery seem livelier. Tree limbs swaying lazily in the slight breeze, sighing and crooning as though they were welcoming the human girl into their midst. Wild flowers and berries were strewn carelessly on the forest floor and the girl admired and even plucked several to enjoy their scent in her hair. Here and there the few sounds of cicadas, locust and other insects hummed lightly creating a soothing symphony to her ear. But the night time was totally different. Unknown noises and moonlight cast eerie shadows on the nightscape and they presented a sinister presence to the unwary. Rin, who was not easily riled, felt the hair on the back of her neck rose on several occasions.

By instinct and common senses, Rin opted to travel mainly during the days. At night, she would only make a small fire, enough to provide some warmth. She did not dare to draw too much attention to herself with a huge blazing furnace. The way was strenuous and so far she had been disappointed since nothing had triggered the memory bank. Hopefully, her luck would turn, Rin thought optimistically. She felt it in her very bones.

Feeling strangely drawn to reach this unknown destination, Rin kept an intense pace in the last several days. Although there was nothing significant to even tickle a snippet of her memory, Rin was determined not to doubt her choice to press westward. Surely something must turn up to give her hope to continue. Kami, but her body was bone weary and it protested voicelessly at the harsh pace she had set. Perhaps it was exhaustion that dulled her senses, but as she was getting ready to settle for the night, she had not been too particularly attentive to the sounds and movements in those last few moments. The quiet rustling from the bushes nearby alerted her of the potential danger and Rin had hastily drawn her blades, ready and poised in a defensive position. The sight of three bear demons emerging from behind the bushes made her bit her lips. Kami, the sheer size of the demons was enough to make her wince inwardly. Rin felt like kicking herself for missing the tell-tale signs of these creatures. Her natural instincts must have gone to sleep. Eyeing them carefully at their approach, she noticed the hungry look in their bulging eyes but swore that they would find her a tough meal to obtain…. in every sense.

Seeing their prey wising up to their presence, the bear demons barreled straight at her. Loud sounds of the ensuing battle disturbed the seeming calm in that area.

The human held her own quite well but as time passed, the physical strain began to set in. Certainly, being outnumbered did not help. The attack became more relentless and voracious as the demons smelt spilt blood on their prey signaling their imminent victory. Gritting her teeth, Rin continued to fight bravely while her mind quickly assessed her alternatives. She knew her strength was slowly fading under their unyielding attack. Their strikes were getting more powerful and they were quickly closing ranks in on her. She could feel their stale breath near her body and shuddered at the rank odor. Her throat was parched and her lungs felt as if they were about to burst from lack of air. Rin only regretted that she was not able to die in full possession of her faculty.

_Rin … My Rin…_..

A voice softly echoed in her mind and the surprising saltiness of tears gathered at the corner of her eyes betrayed her emotions. Now she would never find out who she belonged to.

What happened next was a haze and effectively dried her eyes quickly as an enraged cry ensued and blinding flashes of light emanating from a huge sword caught her attention and halted her opponents at the intrusion of this unexpected third party.

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"What kind of weaklings are you to attack a young kid?" The white haired figure clad from head to toe in fire-rat red kimono robe raised his sword angrily. Rin could feel herself blushed consciously that the stranger merely thought her a boy. Luckily, his back was turned to her. "Cowards like you are not worthy of my time." The thin long sword in the stranger's hand suddenly transformed easily from a flimsy blade into a wicked looking weapon --- a blood-red fang -- and the owner brandished the sword almost playfully in front of the bear demons.

"Now go away and I will spare your sorry asses or stay and face my sword." He warned them, one dark eyebrow quirked upward as though in amusement. Not seeing any movement from the demon trio to quit the battleground, he shrugged his shoulders expressively. "All right, I guess you've made your choice."

The bear demons did not bother replying. They just saw their food supply increased and the hungry eyes glowed with greed. Although, had they had any intelligence, they would have realized the first small human warrior was tougher than he looked to last this long. However, he was getting tired and the youkai had no doubt that they would enjoy a good meal momentarily. Now, it seemed that were to be another easy game for them to tighten their bellies tonight, they licked their lips in anticipation. Such bounty did not come by easily and the possibility of garnering more fresh meat made their stomachs grumbled in anticipation. Smirking to each other, they doubled their efforts and charged forward this new prey.

To be truthful, the first warrior was panting and gritting small white teeth with every stroke of his blades. His breathing became more labored as time went by and the bear youkai ruthlessly pressed on. He was in the palm of their hands. It was only a matter time. Right when the young warrior thought he was backed into a hopeless corner and became the evening's dinner course, this rescuer appeared out of nowhere.

"Hnn….It seems you need a lesson." The red figure addressed the bear youkai, a smirk evident at the corner of his eyes. He gleefully cracked his knuckles before swinging his fang high into the air.

"Wind Scar!" He roared and a strong energy vortex sliced the ground and radiated off in streaks of electrical power, sizzling on the earth and made a multiple deep grooves towards the bear youkai.

When the voice roared the command, instant recognition came a little too late for the three bear youkai for who had not known of the legendary Tetsusaiga and its wielder, Inuyasha. Although, his name and very presence was noticeably absent from this region for the last several years. That was their very last thought as the energy streaks bore down and swiftly disposed of the demons. Such power from the famed fang was a testament of the intruder's identity.

"That was too easy." The red figure commented wryly under his breath as he sheathed his sword back into its scabbard.

Dusting his sleeves carelessly with a clawed hand, he turned to face the young warrior, casting his eyes on the figure that made him inexplicably took a slight detour from his path when he sensed the urchin's imminent defeat.

"Ya all right?" His voice was nonchalantly but the sharp tawny eyes had summed up the detail quickly. Damn but the young kid was very pretty! Small, effeminate features graced an oval face that seemed to belong more to a female rather than a male. His eyes rapidly did an once-over on the kid who was trying to recover his breath. The kid looked like a half-starved brat and he could do with some fattening up.

Hell, this child was as pretty in a similar fashion as his older half-brother.

The thought brought a quick wave of emotion to the front. He sure missed that starchy, stiff-necked baka. They had "reconciled" their differences mainly by resolving to stay out of each other's ways as much as possible. But that didn't mean that Inuyasha didn't miss those little stupid skirmishes that he and Sesshomaru enjoyed as a way to hone their fighting skills throughout the years. He would have bet his prized Tetsusaiga that Sesshomaru privately enjoyed those occasions but he was too damn repressed to ever show even a smidgen of feelings.

When the miko, Kagome, decided to return to her own time to finish off her schooling ten years ago after they had destroyed their archenemy, Naraku, Inuyasha thought it was high time to explore new spaces. He felt stifled because the familiar sceneries played havoc with his mind and constantly reminded him of the girl from the future. Everywhere he went, it nudged him of Kagome. Even when he closed his eyes, he could see her vibrant face behind his lids. Tried as he did, he could not get rid of her ghost. Ever so often, he would indulge his mind and let his thoughts dwell on what could have been. He was not sure if they could even reconcile from the last argument which hastened her departure. It was the straw that broke the camel's back, apparently, when he demanded that she severed her ties to her world and stay with him for all times. Inuyasha was surprised that she balked at his request. He knew she harbored some feelings for him but he took too much for granted and she didn't take his arrogance meekly. Baka, it was more like a command and Inuyasha was shamefaced that he insensitively and roughly treaded over her feelings. The sharp pain in his heart eventually became just a dull ache. Besides, she was the one who left him—no, the group -- without even a definite return date. Their quarrels leading up to her exodus left a lot of unsaid bitterness between the two. If he was deemed not important for her to want to stay with him, then to hell with her. Since there was nothing to hold him in the Western lands…(and he refused to be bounded to his father's land since Sesshomaru was doing a tremendous unifying and even expanding their father's realm. He felt sometimes sorry for Sesshomaru, for as the heir and the reigning Taiyoukai of the West, he did have obligations to fulfill). With unresolved issues still to be settled, Inuyasha wanted a new scene. Unfettered by the traditions and binds of the land, he had taken to traveling to different lands. There was so much to learn and see.

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_That baka demon would even be a sight for sore eyes even right now_. Inuyasha almost grinned to himself.

An almost undetected moan brought the hanyou back from his reverie.

He sniffed the air delicately, nose wrinkling.

"You're injured."

Taking a slight step in the direction of the young scamp, he could now see a film of scarlet coating the grey sash of the hakama. The kid was swaying but held his ground defensively as the hanyou narrowed the distance between them.

"No, I don't need any help." White lips thinned to suppress the scream that was bubbling up inside the slim throat. "Leave me be."

With those words said through gritted teeth, Inuyasha watched the figure crumpled tidily onto the hard ground. The kid has passed out. It was too much for him.

"Kuso!" The red figure instinctively reached out but was too late to break the fall. "Dammit, why didn't I mind my own business and stay out of this fight. Looks like I gotta take care of this kid's wounds before I can be on my way again." Inuyasha grumbled to himself while bending down and loading the inert figure onto his shoulder and making his way to the nearest creek.

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"Kami!" Inuyasha blushed crimson to the roots of his white hair. His ears twitched and reddened in embarrassment while his hands stopped fumbling with the catches and cords of the kid's haori.

He had taken the kid to the nearest stream, had torn some strips off the kid's clothes, and was kneeling to clean the wounds evident to his eyes. There were many minor scratch wounds, but the most serious seemed to be the one on the stomach and the bleeding must be stopped. Inuyasha could see the blood still seeping through the clothes. It was no wonder the kid lost consciousness.

Inuyasha's nimble fingers hastily started to loosen the fabric of the haori. Imagine his surprise when the haori parted to reveal small, firm female breasts that were fiercely bounded flat. He was flabbergasted and rocked back onto his heels at this discovery, shock and embarrassment plainly written all over his features. _Damn, what do I know about girls_, he grizzled to himself. _Especially with no Kagome around_….the voice inside his head persisted. Inuyasha snarled low in his throat, frustrated at his lack of focus in _that_ direction. But w_ho the hell is going to take care of this wound if I don't do it? She's a sitting duck and she won't survive for long. _Unbidden, Inuyasha's eyes traveled to the girl's face and he was startled to see a striking resemblance to his miko. The slender features, the rich black hair, the trim figure. Damn, even their temperaments were almost identical. Stubborn as hell.

_Kagome….._Inuyasha ruthlessly pushed this thought aside.

The girl whimpered slightly spurring Inuyasha to action while his mind mercilessly emptied itself of propriety. Hell, he was as unconventional as all get out. He always liked to thumb his nose at the senseless rigidity of societal rule. So this would be no different than anything else he had done already.

He quickly cleaned her wound with water dabbed onto cloth strips torn from the bottom edge of her clothes. Using some of those strips, he dressed the wound as efficiently as he could. Although he was not one to be easily intimidated, Inuyasha was aggravated with himself to find the sight of a human female making him clumsy and all thumbs. He sighed an audible breath of pure relief when he was able to finally close up her haori again feeling as though he was being chased by the very devil.

Gently lifting her up into his arms, Inuyasha made his way to the clearing and set his burden down under the shade of an ancient cherry blossom tree. All the while, he waited patiently for those eyes to open.

There was certainly a horde of questions he had in mind to ask her when she regained her consciousness. In the meantime, he was honor bound to silently sit and protect her with his sword.

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Rin groaned and rolled to her side, wincing slightly as her stomach wound announced its tender state.

"I wouldn't move too much if I were ya." A male voice spoke in the nothingness.

Turning her head slowly in the direction of the voice while still feeling a bit groggy, her eyes settled upon a seated figure in fire red kimono. His arms were tucked inside his sleeves, the amazing sword that had emblazoned with that strange light lying in his lap.

"It took me some time to stop the bleeding." The voice continued but the face suddenly turned beet red and Rin surmised the reason for his embarrassment. "Gomen nasai…. I…I …truly did not know..."

Rin knew the exact location of her most serious wound. He had found out that she was a mere weak female when attempting to help her.

Rin cut in quickly, attempting to lighten his guilty burden. "Arigatou. If you did not step in to help me, I would not have last very long. Thank you for your intervention." She struggled to sit up; looking for leverage to raise her weary body off the soft mat of leaves which had somehow became her makeshift bed. _Her rescuer must have been busy_. Once again, she found herself indebted to another being to save her. Why could she not take care of herself? Rin sighed, exasperated to no end but a slender thread of a vague thought invaded her mind. She was suddenly flooded with a sensation of being well cared for and it was _not_ definitely Aya. She remembered scraping her knees when she was much younger and someone took such tender care of her injury, of quiet, even-toned conversations explaining to her her monthly cycles that signaled her approaching womanhood. But these talks were more blessedly impersonal that her embarrassment was almost non-existent. W_ho was that hazy creature that keeps popping in my head? _She gasped more so from frustration rather than pain since the faceless phantom escaped her attempt to corner it in her mind again.

Hearing the gasp, Inuyasha leapt to his feet and in a flash was by her side. He gently raised her up to lean against the trunk of the tree she was lying under.

"I told ya to take it easy." His voice was gruffer than normal. It was indicative that, in a typical masculine fashion, he did not know exactly how to handle females. He was definitely in unknown territory here and wasn't quite sure what he was supposed to be doing. He certainly didn't want to startle her and risk re-opening her wounds which he had managed to bind up and yet still leave his and her dignity intact. As fast as he was by her side assisting her, it was just as quick that he left her side and resumed his perch, his cheeks slightly pink, a shade lighter than the robe he was wearing.

"Rest. I'll be back with some dinner." He stood up again, brushing dirt off of his clothes.

With that brief statement, he disappeared into the gathering dusk. Rin watched him beat a hasty retreat, a slight frown marring her smooth forehead as she focused her attention to matters at hand.

Who was he and why did he want to continue helping her?

Surely most people didn't want to invite trouble or even bother to look outside of their own narrow world to help a perfect stranger. Rin was mystified. She had always been self-sufficient and now someone was taking care of her without her ever having to request it. It was strange to say the least. She leaned back further against the trunk and let the gentle breeze lull her to sleep once more.

He did have strange but adorable ears….Rin wondered what kind of demon breed he was. If her guess was right, he probably belonged to the canine family.

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_Feh_. Inuyasha scolded himself. _What had happened back there?_ He was on the verge of saying goodbye to the girl once she had regained consciousness. It was on the tip of his tongue to say the parting words but what came out was totally unexpected.

_How in seven hells did the word 'dinner' passed his lips_?

Inuyasha breathed deeply, thoroughly annoyed with himself. Well, he had committed to feed her then so he must. Yet, something about her was driving him to want to protect her, something unexplainable, something instinctive, something familiar. He felt as though he had known her somehow and was compelled to protect her although he was certain he had never laid eyes on this girl before! Yet, she does bear some striking resemblance to the young miko who left him so suddenly. Perhaps that was why his heart insistently tugged at him.

Callously brushing all thoughts of Kagome aside, since it only made his heart ache, he could not in good conscience abandon a helpless child in the middle of the forest. Never mind that she was also wounded. It would be like offering her up to those fierce demons like a sacrificial lamb. Also, her light scent intrigued him; he felt as if he should know it. The scent was vaguely recognizable to his senses but its veil bore a secret that was just outside the grasp of his mind and Inuyasha was never one to turn down a challenge. Anyway, he didn't have any pressing engagements or a specific place to be at this time so maybe this diversion was perfect timing to occupy his time until he could assimilate his environment again. He was only returning home from far off lands and coming upon familiar ground and scents, he felt benevolent. This girl was lucky that he ran into her. Kami only knew what would have become of her. Keh. The least he could do was to ensure she became healthy enough before they parted ways again.

Inuyasha captured a couple of rabbits and made quick work and had them spitted and ready for roasting. He returned to where the girl was to find her unconscious again. Approaching her silently, the hanyou inhaled deeply. Thank kami her state of unconsciousness was that of a peaceful, healing slumber.

Inuyasha quickly gathered materials nearby and soon enough had a small fire roaring. The aroma of the meat over the open fire was enticing and his stomach grumbled in response. Hopefully, he would not have to wake her up. It was time and she could do with some nourishment on her bones. As though in response to his thought, alongside with the crackling and the hissing of the flames, these elements eventually penetrated the girl's subconscious as she roused herself from her sleep. Thick, dark lush lashes quietly fluttered and wide brown eyes were revealed.

She was…uhmmm… certainly appealing….but much too skinny.

"Oh, you're back." She demurely addressed her savior; her cheeks flushing guiltily while a slight smile touched the wide mouth. Her last waking thought was whether or not she would see him again. And here he was, true to his words. She looked at the meal, sniffed appreciatively at the aroma and her stomach grumbled loud enough in the quiet air and her blush deepened at the unladylike sound.

With that hint, Inuyasha picked up the speared meat and walked over to the girl. He offered the gain held in his palm.

"Eat. You need to regain your strength." He nodded brusquely. Words were never one of his strong suit just like big brother but he would not be caught dead admitting that aloud. Being gruff and tough was his way of showing his caring. Whereas, that ass of a brother of his just did not. Nope. Nothing. Sesshomaru was the epitome of frozen iceberg. Inuyasha would not have been surprised if there were not even an iota of feeling existed in the great Taiyoukai's powerful frame.

He stopped his musing and also laid down some fruits and berries within her reach. Keh. He just happened to gathered them along the way thinking she might need some refreshments, not that he was deliberately seeking those items. A slightly bowed head signaled her thanks and she began to eat. Satisfied, Inuyasha devoured his own meal back at his own space by the fire.

"My name is Rin." In between chewing, Inuyasha almost missed the slight voice as the girl introduced herself.

"Ehh? Oh… Inuyasha is mine." He said between mouthful and Rin thought he looked totally approachable.

**(A/N: OK…so bear with me here….I am assuming that the Inu-pack and Sesshomaru didn't cross paths too often and Inuyasha, though endearing his personality, was not the most intelligent of creature but he was undeniably compassionate underneath that gruff exterior. Of course Rin didn't remember him due to her memory loss). **

"Inuyasha…" she experimentally rolled his name on her tongue, testing out the sound of it and found it to her liking because her smile widened as she continued with her meal.

After an amiable silence, the hanyou spoke again. "What made you fight those bear demons?" he asked between a mouthful of food.

"They were looking for food and I happen to be in sight." She shrugged, trying to be nonchalant.

Actually, she was terrified when she was discovered by those bear demons. She had been doing her best to conceal her tracks but the bear demons were hungry and a bit bolder than normal. However, she was trapped but she was not the type of girl who would give up easily. If she was going down, then she would go down kicking and screaming all the way.

"I am glad that you were nearby. Thank you again, Inuyasha-sama." Rin pushed aside her fear and reminded him of her gratitude.

Inuyasha grinned widely. "Sama?" His honey eyes lit up with devilish amusement. "It's been a long time since I heard that word." He shook off cobwebs of a memory, "Don't care to be called that. I only know of one creature this title would be most proper for use…." Inuyasha seemed to have caught himself on his prattling on something the girl could care less to know. "Do me a favor, just call me Inuyasha, no 'sama', all right?" A pretentious shudder ripped through his frame and although Rin was puzzled, she figured it was an inside joke and didn't dig further.

"Inuyasha …it shall be." She agreed.

The companionable silence was broken again by the hanyou's voice.

"What were you doing wandering alone in this deep side of the forest?" Again, his question reached out and he saw the pensive look that crept into the girl's brown eyes before she actually responded.

Rin did not know what she was looking for, but she was on a mission to search. Oh yes, she was looking for something to spark her missing memory but he didn't need to know that. "I am looking for something." Hesitantly, she did not divulge much more, though her eyes were apologetic for not satisfying his curiosity further.

_So she didn't want me to know whatever bees buzzing in her head. Fine, I don't want to anyway. We each can keep our secrets._ But perversely, Inuyasha was a little bit miffed that this girl chose not to tell him her reasons. _Oh well, it was not as though we would be hanging too long in each other's company now aren't we?_ Inuyasha asked himself silently, more like an affirmation rather than a question to be exact.

_Keep to your path, make her whole then say goodbye. _A good advice that he intended to follow.

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_So much for saying goodbye. _

Inuyasha smirked as he caught himself looking at the moon above his head. He had every intention of staying by her side just until she had healed, then they would go their separate ways. Needless to say, those days suddenly became weeks which became months. Inuyasha became less inclined to leave her side. She drew him like filing to a magnet. There was something inexorably endearing about the girl, something that called to him.

She had learned to open up more to him during the five months they have been traveling together. He learned of her memory lapse, learned of her intentions of tracing her steps to enlighten that mysterious past of hers. He also learned that she believed herself to be the age of eighteen or nineteen, based on what others told her. He teased her often that he was too old for her since he was chronologically placed at about 75 years old. He watched fascinated at the rosy color that bloomed in her cheeks at his teasing and he ribbed her as often as the opportunity arose.

Somehow, they had stayed together, became friends and now it seemed their friendship had naturally progressed to the kindling of a romance. At first, it was awkward when their first kiss happened. It was soft and gentle but he felt something missing. Perhaps they were still too new at this to know what to expect. Maybe the fireworks will kick in once they get to know each other better. They had exchanged a few kisses, a couple of light "groping" session but somehow they both seemed reluctant to take things too far, too fast.

Inuyasha, being a half-human, understood well the nature of humans. They were prone to deceit; possessed too much pride. Inuyasha had seen and even experienced pain at such practices and now shied away from committing his affections too hastily. One of the reasons he had traveled relentlessly was to try and put something in perspective and he thought he was succeeding quite nicely when he encountered Rin.

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In the time that he had known her, she had shown him a pure spirit lacking in deception and malice. She was always one to look for the positive, the good in whatever circumstances. There was always a bright side of things, according to her. She had made him look inside himself and purged his soul of the bitterness he felt the fates had dealt him. It was no wonder that he felt a spark for her.

"Inuyasha…" a gentle voice floated in his ear.

"Hmmn?"

"Are we near your brother's territory yet?" The girl asked, her eyebrows raised at his frown, laughing at him. A sweet husky tone.

Ever since Inuyasha announced that he wanted his only living relative to meet her before they get married, she had been on tender hooks. So they had pressed on and gained more distance as they neared the seat of the Western lands. Having always to fend for herself and to mostly living in isolation, Rin was nervous at meeting the half-brother. Inuyasha had explained that his sibling was a full-blood inu taiyoukai. From his countless tales of many battles with his brother, she knew that there was not a lot of lost love between the two. It seemed to have been stemmed from the fact that their great father had re-remarried to Inuyasha's mother. To a human, no less. A race which this full-blooded brother had always thought inferior to his own pure demon bloodline.

However, over time, the siblings seemed to develop a grudging respect for each other and apparently made it a point to stay out of each other's way. Luckily, that was easily solved when Inuyasha left Nippon in search of new adventures and Sesshomaru stayed behind to continue ruling over his lands.

Inuyasha did not give a lot of detail of Sesshomaru, the lord of the Western lands. He either didn't have much to say about his brother or preferred to have people make their own conclusions for themselves about Sesshomaru. It would give him a kick to see Rin's reaction when she would meet the jerk.

888888888888888

Rin was nervous. She wanted so much for this sibling to accept her. She didn't think that he would like her, since she is human, which fell a shade worse than Inuyasha's status. But she always wanted to be a part of a family. Dysfunctional as though they may seem, Rin grinned wryly to herself. _Better than nothing._

"Rin, don't put too much hope in Sesshomaru going ape over you, over this situation. He's one frigid bastard." Inuyasha had warned her so often. He did not want her jubilant spirit to be crushed by the ice king. _Sesshomaru, one wrong word from you and your ass is mine_. Inuyasha vowed to himself.

"I know." She had replied but still hopeful that they could achieve some level of understanding with each other.

"Well. We will make this a quick meet-and-greet and then we don't have to set eyes on him again if we don't want to." A clawed hand reached out and gently touched the soft ebony hair near his shoulder.

Reassured by his touch, Rin sighed. "I had never known a family. It would be great if we can get along. But I think one in this family is more than enough for me to handle right now." A saucy smile touched her lips and her face lit up mischievously.

"That's my girl." Inuyasha nodded approvingly while leaning back to settled her more firmly in his grasp.

"With his nose, he should be able to scent us out pretty quickly now that we are in his lands. Feh, knowing him, he'll probably send out his minions to arrest us for trespassing." His face lit up with a roguish challenge, fingers crackling in anticipation of a minor skirmish and lips humming a happy tune.

Rin raised her head, leaning slightly away from the warmth of the hanyou's body and was totally disconcerted at the sheer _enjoyment _evident in Inuyasha's tone.

"Surely not. You are after all, his relation". She was indignant. How low can this Sesshomaru be to get his kicks out battling with his very own brother?

Although, _**this** lord's _name did have a menacing meaning to it.

"I dunno know. You never know what kind of mood good old Sessh is in. It is either bad or worst," Inuyasha mumbled while shrugging his shoulders slightly, half in jest, half serious. "Be ready for anything." He grunted and shifted again until they were both comfortable as they drifted off into dreamland, arms wrapped about the girl protectively.

(A/N: Now you have Rin's slant including the intro of how Inu and she met… the next few chapters will reveal more. I must admit I have to tread carefully since I am working with multiple time frames….Eeewww….pointing finger at self... baka, baka, baka….

No, no. Not that finger ! By the way, I want to give a shout out to Evilbuny for taking the time and proof-read this chapter and her encouraging words.

Thanks, gal. You are the best! This chapter is for you).

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

**RETURN MY LOVE**

**_Chapter 4: FAMILIARITY_**

Disclaimer: Do not own Inuyasha.

(A/N: (A/N: Arrggghhh. This chapter was a bear to write! Every word was excruciatingly painful. Indecisive that I am, I changed the sceneries so many times and I still feel that this chapter is not quite right. Please do forgive the long wait and the rambling).

When Rin first saw Lord Sesshomaru in the twilight of the forest where she and Inuyasha awaited his arrival, her heart had tugged erratically. He was magnificent and certainly awe-inspiring. Never before had she seen anything or anyone like him.

Not that her Inuyasha was not handsome. The thought flashed hastily across her mind and Rin flushed guiltily for even entertaining it at all.

In his own rights, Inuyasha definitely had that tough and gruff mannerism that hid a heart of gold. He did not believe in beating around the bush to get to the crux of the problem. That was just his style, his personality and she adored him.

But the creature standing before was too beautiful for words. That quiet, lethal grace hinted at an implacable power. Flowing silks were unable to disguise the demon lord's lean physique and steely strength. And that silvery, moon-kissed hair was unworldly. The silken curtain of white bangs was slightly ruffled by the night breeze as it revealed tantalizing glimpses of the perfectly shaped crescent moon stamped across the high, intelligent forehead.

By the little in which Inuyasha had spoken about his sibling, it seemed the Taiyoukai was heart whole, his focus trained on garnering more power and more stature.

For some inexplicable reasons, Rin was happy with this thought. It seemed an impossibility for him to find a female confident enough to dare claim the title of Lady of the Western Lands and stand beside this splendid figure. Secondly, now that Rin had seen him, she was sure _that_ task was even more daunting because the great lord obviously did _not_ wish for any emotional entanglements. His cold demeanor was very effective in keeping others at arm's length. Rin felt momentarily sorry for this unknown, unnamed female. She certainly had her work cut out for her. But somehow, the notion of a female who could derail this proud lord from his chosen path had unexpectedly and terribly jarred at _her_ own sensibilities.

Her heartbeat quickened. It was not because of his resemblance to Inuyasha that made her feel as if she should know him. There was something poignantly and hauntingly familiar about him that Rin desperately searched her mind to find roots. Something had taken hold of her mind and she wrestled with her clamoring thoughts. Anticipation and dread both fought for control inside her frame. His presence was making her so shatteringly aware of an impending showdown.

The Taiyoukai stood at least a head taller than Inuyasha and Rin herself barely reached Inuyasha's cheeks. Thin magenta markings stroked over high cheekbones bringing sharp relief to the angular face. Bright, golden eyes pierced the night light like twin laser beams and at this moment, they flashed with icy displeasure before they became veiled and inert once again. Curiously, it seemed that his anger was directed at _her._

She did not want to her prospective half-brother-in-law looking so grim-faced in their first encounter, yet his antagonism was almost tangible as it rumbled underneath the calm surface. Rin turned to see if Inuyasha had also sensed the internal upheaval in the lord but the hanyou seemed unperturbed.

Perhaps it was her overactive imagination playing tricks on her mind, Rin scoffed at herself. Certainly, Lord Sesshomaru had other priorities and did not deign to waste time and energy on a faceless, nameless human girl.

Without fail, she could feel the familiar black mist swirling at the back of her eyes as the synapses of her memory tried to rewire their path. One of those blinding headaches was threatening and Rin silently grimaced, bracing herself for the usual physical manifestation as her mind attempted to re-learn its past. Apparently, her memory seemed to have decided to help the girl out at what she thought was the worst possible time. She did not want to seem any more helpless or hopeless in front of this stranger who despised those human weaknesses. It would not help Inuyasha's cause if she were to provide further evidence of human inferiority to this creature.

Rin viciously gnawed the tender inside of her soft lips trying to stave off the rush of white spots blurring her vision…_Breathe, damn it_. She was only dimly aware of the quiet but heated conversation around her. Inuyasha and his brother certainly had no obvious affection for each other. But without a doubt, she knew that Inuyasha admired his half-brother even though he would never admit to the demon lord. Admired him for his calm, his skills as a warrior, his sharp mind and his integrity. They both were strong in their own rights and it would benefit all if she were to emulate that characterization if she were to be a part of that proud tradition. With that thought firmly entrenched, Rin was determined to win control over her body. Mentally warding off the onset of pain, her small hand clenched tighter around the hilt of the short dagger clinging to her right hip and Rin forced a bland mask to fall into place.

OoOoOoOoO

"Inuyasha. I suggest that you stay at my domain and acquaint yourself with Father's legacy. You are, after all, his son as well." Sesshomaru had spoken quietly in that still night.

"What the hell," Inuyasha said, his tone sharp at the unexpected capitulation of his elder brother. "What's wrong with you, Sesshomaru?" He eyed the tall white figure suspiciously while inhaling the Taiyoukai's scent for foul intent. "Are you sick or something?"

But of course nothing was revealed to him. He only knew that Sesshomaru was straightforward as he was. Had he wanted to destroy something, it was already as good as dead.

Sesshomaru's eyes flashed in annoyance at his half-brother and determinedly ignored Inuyasha's blunt comments. "It is time that you are educated in the ways of Father's clan."

The lord's eyes then flicked back and rest momentarily on the slender girl standing next to the hanyou. Inwardly, concern had gnawed at the lord but his expression betrayed nothing. _Rin …in pain. _"That creature is not feeling well." He stared intently at the girl and noted small beads of perspiration lacing her soft upper lip but his golden eyes remained empty.

"Her. Name. Is. _Rin_." Inuyasha belatedly remembering the introduction, gnashed his teeth in exasperation while turning to look closer at Rin.

_How typical of the arrogant bastard. Always knowing, always right_. Inuyasha scowled. His brother's sharp senses were as accurate as ever.

Trust the guy to sense something was wrong. Inuyasha felt slightly deflated and guilty that he was not even aware of Rin's sudden ailment due to his focus on Sesshomaru. His teeth were set on edge as he made apparent his dislike of Sesshomaru's off-handedness.

Ignoring the lord quite summarily, Inuyasha noted the dullness slowly invading those soft brown eyes and her normally velvety lips compressed slightly to keep the pain at bay.

_Stupid_ Sesshomaru, making him exchanging _stupid_ pleasantries when she was in pain. Inuyasha pulled her closer into his arms and nuzzled her cheek lovingly, while his hands gently rubbing her shoulders and the small of her back in silent apology.

The couple missed the way Sesshomaru's frame gave an imperceptible jolt, breath painfully drawn when he heard her name on Inuyasha's lips. Of course, he knew it was Rin. But that did not prepare him to _actually_ hear it from someone else's lips.

It was his missing human. Sesshomaru silently let out that same breath that he didn't know he was holding. The hanyou just confirmed his suspicion.

It didn't make this meeting any less mysterious knowing he was right. She was finally here in his sight and not a figment of his imagination, not a mirage to his fevered brain. How he had waited for this moment. As to how Inuyasha factored into this equation, he would have to find out just what the hell was going on.

"Rin, are you feeling all right?" Inuyasha whispered softly into her ear when he felt her slightly relaxing to his ministrations, his face anxious. He knew these headaches usually render her helpless, sensitive to light, sound and motion. All he could do was to ensure she was kept comfortable as much as possible. (A/N: Yes, migraines are EVIL!).

Meanwhile, Sesshomaru was wrestling with his own thoughts as well.

_I will not kill him for touching her. I will not kill him for touching her_. The mantra echoed harshly inside Sesshomaru's head as he watched Inuyasha comfort Rin. He could feel his blood rising. _Damn jealousy_.

It was all Sesshomaru could do was not to rush over to the pair, yank her out of Inuyasha's grasp and send the baka into oblivion.

"We are wasting time." Sesshomaru intoned quietly, viciously happy that he diverted their attention from each other.

"No, you go on. Rin can't take the motion of being bounced on my back at this time." Inuyasha shook his head. "We'll catch up with you in a while."

"Don't be silly, Inuyasha. I am fine. Just give me a few minutes." The girl spoke. Her voice slightly husky due to the pain but she sounded more unhappy that she had caused a fuss. She stood firm but could not meet Inuyasha's watchful stare.

"Ridiculous. She can come with me." The lord offered, ignoring the way Inuyasha's mouth seemed to widen in disbelief once again and the girl's increased reluctance. "I prefer to get to my home as soon as possible and you are wasting my time." He repeated while stretching out a hand to the girl, silently summoning her to come forward.

"No, no. I am all right," Rin denied quickly, edging inconspicuously away from his gesture. For some strange reasons, she did not want to be in close proximity to this demon lord. Not that she was afraid he would hurt her, but she felt a little odd in his presence let alone touching him. The proffered arm dropped back to his side and Rin had a fleeting impression that Sesshomaru was extremely disappointed before a blank mask re-asserted over the elegant features.

_Rin, you are imagining things. How could Lord Sesshomaru be disappointed when you refused to take his hand. He didn't even know you! _Rin chided herself for her foolishness.

"Rin. You are in pain. Sesshomaru is right. It will be much quicker and smoother if you go with him." Inuyasha's hands kneaded her shoulders gently. "I'll be right below you." His focus was to get Rin to rest as soon as possible. "Just ignore him," Inuyasha tried to lighten her mood as he whispered at her while drooping an eyelid over one eye in a wink.

Of course, Sesshomaru heard it due to his sharp hearing and, more importantly, witnessed the hanyou's action._ I will cut his hands off of him_. Sesshomaru growled to himself intensely disliking Inuyasha more so than ever at this moment. _That imbecile dared to touch her again ! _

"Jaken shall see to her at the castle." Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes, each word enunciated clearly. He wondered briefly if that name would bring any recognition from the girl.

Nothing. No perceptible elevation of heartbeats, no heightened blood pressure except for the current pain she was in the midst of. He sighed soundlessly. The girl just didn't recognize him or anything of their past life.

_My Rin._

What could have happened to her in his absence? Sesshomaru was suddenly engulfed in a gut-wrenching guilt. He was not there to protect her, to ease her through the turbulence she must have had experienced while they were apart.

_He_ had failed miserably in his mission to guard her. The self-berating came to halt at the approach of the younger brother with the girl in tow.

Inuyasha guided a reluctant Rin to where Sesshomaru was standing and backed away slightly when the demon lord's youki energy swirled about and embraced the two as they were lifted off the ground.

Soon, they were high up in the sky.

Rin swayed slightly and clutched one of his billowing sleeves feeling nauseous at the sudden change in altitude despite a smooth transition.

"It will be better if you recline. Close your eyes and rest." The lord instructed the girl in a toneless voice, sounding almost bored.

When Rin showed signs of not complying and kept standing almost mutinously while slim fingers fearfully whitened in their grip on him, he finally understood her reason. She didn't know what to hang on to and the cloud beneath her feet looked so fragile.

Sesshomaru gracefully sat down. "Come." He nodded and motioned the space next to him. "Sit here."

Rin settled quickly down, still not quite sure how an insubstantial fluff of cloud was able to support the weight of two individuals. She had expected to fall through the wispy softness and plummet to her death at any moment.

"Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru." She mumbled quickly, her eyes kept averted from him. Curling up in a tight bundle next to him, she did her best to be unobtrusive and keep their contact to a minimum as much as possible while he sat immobile like a frozen statue. In no time, she had relinquished her grip on wakefulness lulled by the soft whispers of the wind and the taciturn, still figure of the demon lord. Her head drifted unconsciously down to the firm shoulder beside her. Rin's cheeks rubbed slightly on the fine silk of his haori while soft lips sighed something unintelligible.

When her breathing gentled and evened out, Sesshomaru expelled a soft breath and gathered her sloping form tighter into his arm. His Rin certainly liked to talk in her sleep. Sesshomaru gently nuzzled the soft, ebony hair beneath his jaw. The sweet clean scent of soft cherry blossom wafted to his sensitive nostrils.

_Kami, her beautiful scent._

It had been too long since he last held her. He closed his eyes momentarily and savored the moment and a slight tremor passed through his body. It seemed that he was to be given another chance. Sesshomaru's demon was coming alive again, triumphantly exuberant now that the girl was back within his sight and his touch.

Soon enough, the outline of his domain came into view. He gently landed with Rin still asleep in his arm. Inuyasha was nowhere in sight but his approach was imminent. Sesshomaru had deliberately increased his energy so that Inuyasha, endowed with only half demon strength, was unable to keep up with the pair.

Sesshomaru wanted his _alone_ time with the girl to last as long as possible.

Jaken was there to greet him. A piercing glance from narrowed golden eyes effectively staved off the litany of questions Jaken had ready upon his lord's arrival. Maintaining a firm hold on the girl, Sesshomaru stepped into the courtyard with his small burden. Sesshomaru's head quietly shook in denial when Jaken led him to Rin's room which had remained well-kept but unchanged since she last resided there two years ago. Jaken was perplexed. For some reasons, his Lord Sesshomaru did not want the girl to be back in her old chamber. But then again, he had never known his lord to do anything first without thinking it through thoroughly. Jaken swiftly led him down the long corridor and stopped in front of another door when he saw a flicker of white hair nodding approval toward that chamber. Jaken slid open the chamber door and stepped back to allow his lord to proceed inside. The chamber was still closely connected to his lord's private living quarters. The toad imp sensed that Rin was not feeling well although his Master's agitation was barely discernable. Jaken stood uncertainly at the door and watched his master approach the bed and then gently deposited the girl onto the silken sheet.

"Jaken, leave now." The command was soft. "And she is not to know of her history here. Instruct the servants." He didn't want to shock Rin needlessly if she should happen to remember something about her old room. Far be it better for him to help her recover at her own pace.

It was succinctly said. Jaken bowed humbly before quitting the room and closing the door behind him.

As the toad's footsteps faded away, Sesshomaru's low growl heaved a relieved sigh in the privacy of the chamber knowing he was well alone with her.

_She had returned home now. For always._

Sesshomaru's dangerous claws reached out and softly smoothed back the heavy fringe of wavy hair across her forehead, tucking loose silky strands behind a shell-like earlobe. He slowly lowered his lips and gently rained soft kisses over her face and lips, satisfied as the girl sighed contentedly while sinking deeper into her sleep.

In the distance, he could hear rumblings of Inuyashas's arrival. Reluctantly rising to his feet, he gazed at the girl for a long moment before turning on his heels to depart from the chamber.

_Let us see how this mystery is unraveled. _Sesshomaru vowed to himself as he walked away, golden eyes glittering and a small smirk appeared at the left corner of his lips. He would enjoy making Inuyasha squirm.

The noisy entrance of his half-brother was unmistakable. That idiot could rouse up even the dead.

OoOoOoOoO

Rin awoke to find herself in an opulent room from the rich wall hangings to the exquisite beddings. It spoke of a quiet, dignified wealth much like the man himself. This must be Lord Sesshomaru's residence.

Her pain had lessened but her clothes were definitely grimy.

Before she could contemplate what to do next, the door opened to reveal Inuyasha, followed closely by his half-brother, and a funny looking toad trailing not far behind.

"Hi little one, are you feeling better?" Inuyasha's voice was gentle. He had walked up to the bed and now had perched in the middle of it, a hand reaching out to take her small one while a thumb gently massaged the fine bones.

"Much better, Inuyasha." She let him hold her hand, his claws playing with the delicate small fingers. Turning her head to greet her host, she dropped her eyes shyly and expressed her thanks. "Sesshomaru-sama, thank you for getting me to your home so quickly. I apologize for falling asleep on you." She flushed hoping against hope that she didn't do something awful like snoring out loud or leaning on him. How he must have detested having to be in contact with humans. Rin supposed that he was altogether too glad to palm her over to Inuyasha as soon as they had reached his home. Rin remembered vaguely of soft lips and silken hair gently meandering all over her face and nuzzling her throat. _That Inuyasha, he's always been such an affectionate puppy._

Silence greeted her but she did not take offense and turned her attention back to the hanyou sitting on the bed watching her intently. On reaching Inuyasha's eyes, her blush deepened as she remembered those soft caresses. For his part, it made Inuyasha wonder at the sudden scent of desire he felt building up in Rin.

_My Rin….._

Rin heard that soft voice echoed in her dreams soothing and warming her mind again but this time it had a restless, searching quality in the tone.

"My lord, do you mind if I have a bath to wash away the travel dirt and grime." Determinedly, Rin closed her mind to that probing voice and focused on the more mundane things. Her face apologetic as she surveyed her travel clothes, wrinkled and dirty and feeling guilty because she had inadvertently marred the beautiful landscape of the beautifully decorated room. That was not good on the gorgeous silk sheets on the bed, she frowned.

"Jaken, see to it." The demon lord turned his body slightly away and inclined his head slightly at the toad imp. Jaken caught the gesture and bobbed his body up and down in acquiescence before backing out of the room to summon for service. He turned golden eyes back to Inuyasha as though expecting him to depart from the chamber as well in order for the girl to prepare for her bath rituals.

"What an excellent idea, Rin. I'll join you." Inuyasha grinned wickedly, his honey eyes leering, amusement lurking in their depths and Rin smiled back, forgetting to rebuke him for joking like that in front of his practically estranged brother, who didn't seem to possess a single iota of humor.

"You will not!" They were startled by the vehemence of the voice. Two pairs of eyes swung around and heard the lord's low growl, a slight flush stole across the white cheeks portraying his annoyance. "Such behavior will not be tolerated here." He spat out and pinned a murderous stare at his younger brother.

Upon hearing the remark, Sesshomaru felt his ire rising once again at the sheer stupidity of Inuyasha. Could the boy be brainless enough not to remember that the hanyou had encountered Sesshomaru and his companions in previous times? Admittedly, Sesshomaru did everything possible to avoid his half-brother's pack, but surely the girl was most memorable because she had dared to tag along the demon lord.

As a fair-minded creature, he could not really thrash Inuyasha within an inch of his life just because he was ignorant. He obviously did not equate the younger Rin with this older one. Baka. Sesshomaru was anything but dishonorable. But the fleeting thought that he could just at least punch Inuyasha's lights out once was so tangible, he cracked his knuckles silently, regretting that he really did not want to harm Inuyasha.

"Awww.. Sesshomaru. We were just only kidd-" Inuyasha began defensively, his face scowling at the censure evident in the golden eyes of the Taiyoukai. "Lighten—"

"Enough!" Icy tone cut him off. "You shall behave circumspectly. _Your_ lady," he nodded at Rin, distaste evident in his voice and watched a tide of pink crept up the slender neck and suffusing the soft cheeks at the implied reprimand she thought she heard in the deep voice, "shall reside in these chambers and you shall be at the opposite end in the North wing until your engagement is permanent." _That reality will never see light of day, _the abhorrent thought snarled through his mind.

"Did you say at the other end of this castle?" All traces of bantering disappeared from his face as Inuyasha turned an annoyed face regarding the dog demon's high-handedness. "Look, Rin and I are not -"

"Silence. Do not tell me of your pathetic relationship." The Taiyoukai interrupted harshly. The air around the lord started to crackle, electrical currents seemed to have suddenly energized from out of nowhere. He could feel his vision started to rim with the familiar red hue. Of course _he_ knew Rin was still intact but that didn't exempt the baka hanyou from pawing all over her.

"Why you pompous ---" Inuyasha was indignant. _What the hell was wrong with Sesshomaru?_ To see him so quickly lose the death grip on his normal control was unbelievable. Usually, nothing could penetrate that metaphorical armor of his. Yet, at the possibility of intimacy and the demon was raring to fly off the handle. Surely, Sesshomaru couldn't be such a prude. Sheeeeshhh, he needed to get that stick out of his ass pretty soon or he would never be able to bend again to find his own mate. Inuyasha thought humorlessly.

"Inuyasha," Rin placed a calm hand on Inuyasha's claws, "Lord Sesshomaru is right." But her eyes were warily glued to the lord.

Rin was puzzled as well. What could possibly interest the lord about her and Inuyasha's relationship?

Perhaps he was really a stickler for propriety. He was, after all, the lord of the land and had certain standards to uphold for his clan. Her eyes were glued to the energy force in front of her challenging Inuyasha to contradict his rule. She was absolutely fascinated but kept her cool to hopefully diffuse the tension she could feel emanating from both brothers. Strangely reluctant, she broke her gaze and focused on the man beside her whose ears were twitching erratically, poised for battle. A soft hand reached out to his forearm and stroked the toughened skin beneath her palm, easing away the tension that gripped the hanyou's elbow. "Inuyasha, we are unexpected guests in this castle. It will not be long before we leave. We must respect Lord Sesshomaru's wishes."

"But, Rin-girl, we've done nothing wrong to be ashamed of," the puppy whined at her while throwing his brother a dark look. Sesshomaru stared back, daring the hanyou to challenge his decree. "That baka deserves to be taught a lesson." But his eyes caught the beseeching brown eyes and the hanyou reluctantly quelled his anger.

"Please, let's just make the best of this time." She whispered and squeezed his hand firmly, her eyes pleading for him to keep the peace and let the matter go. She kept her face firmly away from their host but could not prevent the hot blush that traveled up her soft neck and into her cheeks at being the cause of this recent angry exchange between the brothers.

"All right." He glanced at the delicate hand covering his before turning his glance to the lord and mocked the stoic face. "Don't worry, you arrogant bastard. We would not taint your precious place any longer than we need to. We'll leave as soon as we can." His words were a promise.

Any further comments were stemmed when Jaken stepped back inside the room with servants in tow in preparation for Rin's bath.

"Jaken," the lord spoke again but this time, the monotonous tone was evident once more. "Take Inuyasha to his quarters in the North wing." With that, he turned to throw a fleeting glimpse over to girl unbeknownst to the two, before he silently walked out of the room.

"That stupid ass." Inuyasha muttered under his breath, expelling the tension that gripped his shoulders at this minor skirmish. Why was it that they could never seem to get along peacefully for more than mere moments? It had always been like this between the brothers. If Inuyasha thought he would be welcomed with opened arms, (which the thought never really entered his mind), then he was surely not disappointed. "He needs to take the stick out of his butt."

Rin giggled nervously as she heard the mumble. Thanks kami that a blow-up was averted. She didn't think she could deal with too much excitement all at once. She held her hand to her face and delicately yawned.

Taking the hint, Inuyasha regained his humor and chucked her slightly under her chin. "Get cleaned up and I'll meet you to take to dinner." He got up from the bed and moved to the door after dropping a quick peck on her cheek.

That was a close one, Rin thought. She did not relish the thought of those two waging a battle right in front of her. Lord Sesshomaru was a strict creature unto himself. His words were law and orderliness is stringently adhered to in his domain. Although she was slightly offended at the suggestion that there were something underhanded between his brother and her, she had to admire his code of ethics. She would never want to bring shame to her family, if she had had one to begin with. After all, as much as Inuyasha denied, he was still a part of an honorable tradition. Rin could not bear it if she were the cause to tarnish the reverent name of the Inu clan.

Rin dismissed Jaken and the other servants. Rising from the bed, she went to her small satchel containing her belongings and took out a replacement outfit before climbing into the tub and letting the steaming hot water to soothe away her aches and weariness.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Kuso." Sesshomaru rarely ever swore but this really tried his patience. How dare that mutt suggest such a thing to the girl! He left them because he didn't think he could stay in that room for another minute before ripping the mutt's face apart demanding satisfaction. The thought of Rin frolicking in the bath with his brother had painted his vision blood red….

Actually, visions of her frolicking with _anybody_ felt like a swift kick to his solar plexus as his brain violently and unequivocally rejected that notion.

Although he could scent that they had not consummate their mating rituals, their familiarity with each other was difficult to ignore. Jealousy cleaved to the roof of his mouth, leaving a bitter taste and Sesshomaru growled harshly. He remembered back when he called her Inuyasha's lady. He almost choked over that detested word.

Even now, it was disturbing to label her as such and to think of her as belonging to someone else. _Never!_

Sesshomaru had gone back to his study and sank down into the large chair behind his desk and for once, ignoring the many scrolls that needed his attention. Wearily, he rubbed the bridge of his perfectly straight nose with tapered fingers and inhaled deeply, trying to calm himself. The normal piercing golden eyes closed shutting out the unwelcome thoughts of the turn of events. On rare occasions such as these, Sesshomaru felt every single one of the years he had been alive.

Suddenly, his eyes snapped open only to flutter close again, the red rage dissipating. The lord's erratic breathing had evened out to a more temperate pace and a gentle peace encompassed his being when his sensitive nostrils picked up the lovely scent that was Rin as she enjoyed her soothing bath. She smelled so fresh and delicate like the wildflowers strewn all around his castle grounds.

_Mine…_

(A/N: I am still not pleased. But I hope that you'll R&R anyway. Yes, I am taking my time to unveil this fic).

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

**RETURN MY LOVE**

Disclaimer: Do not own Inuyasha.

(A/N: Okay. For goodness sake… I would love some feedback. I can see the hit counter rises so it would be good to get some concrit in return! …. Is there any interest to read what I have to write or should I stop ??!??!?!)

Also:

A. Sorry for the long chapter. I feel I had to make up for not updating until now.

B. Non-Takahashi character names in this fic were purely created with no special meaning attached…too lazy to do research…. :0) )

CHAPTER 5: **_DENIAL_**

Inuyasha sighed heavily as he waited for Rin to appear along the corridor, his foot tapping restlessly. She would surely be lost in this twisted and quirky maze that was Sesshomaru's adobe.

The place his half-brother called home was truly surprising. Heavy cherrywood beams stood in column formation bidding welcome to those who passed underneath. The mellowness of the wood brought an unexpected warmth into the wide hallway. Limestone flooring in a tawny beige color added visual interest and its neutral palette soothed the body and eased the mind of its occupants. Inuyasha let his attention be captured by the stories depicted in the fragile tapestries that decked the walls. Their value as antiquity was unmatched but as family heirloom that told of the Inu clan of the West, they were priceless.

Damn, he even felt almost lulled into peacefulness and the tapping became even more impatient. He looked around him. Although the surroundings were admirable, he himself would have yearned for the open space. As elegant as the home before him, Inuyasha was happiest out in the open fields.

The half-demon never really had any occasions or even desire to spend time in his father's palace so he heavily relied now on his instincts and his nose to guide him through this vast space. The stronghold was certainly awe-inspiring as his keen eyes meandered around while waiting for the young human. It certainly was built with both defense and beauty in mind. Apparently, the Dog Demon General wanted to ensure his family's safety but not at the expense of the natural beauty that surrounded him. _Their old man must have had a fine sense of humor to have constructed this elegant monstrosity._

The wide passageway wounded endlessly that a stranger could easily get lost in the labyrinth-like maze while the décor showed an eclectic taste of classic mixed with some whimsical pieces. Odd, Inuyasha did not think that his strict brother would have allowed nonsensical bits like the dried up floral wreaths he saw sprinkled throughout the premise. They co-existed with the priceless artifacts with just as much dignity and right as if they belonged there. Yet, despite its size, the palace certainly had a well-cared, _well-loved_ look which seemed a contradiction to its current, taciturn master. The strange beauty of the palace was so fitting and so illuminated the terrifying beauty of his older brother. It was surprising that there was no female clamoring to grace this palace as the Lady of the West. But then again, look at Sesshomaru. He probably frightened them to death with those famous withering stares.

_Why the hell am I thinking and critiquing about his looks and his personal life. _Inuyasha snorted silently, annoyed that he was actually worried even for a moment that his elder brother was lonely. At least, _he_ had Rin at his side to share his joy and trouble. Inuyasha could not imagine being in Sesshomaru's position without a proper helpmate.

A minute twinge of guilt rushed through his mind. He did refuse those types of responsibility when Sesshomaru had approached him several years after the defeat of Naraku, with the offer of instating his presence to the Inu clan.

But no. Inuyasha preferred his freedom too much to be pinned down by the conventions of youkai society. A sudden thought swept across his mind making him wonder at times if his older half-brother also felt weighed down by the burden of being Taiyoukai but could not shirk his duties as lord. It was a huge undertaking but Inuyasha knew of no one else who could have been successful as his brother. Inuyasha had plenty of time for self-reflection during his recent sabbatical when his pack was disbanded. He had itme to realize the wisdom of their father. It seemed InuTaisho was well aware of the quirkiness of his sons. He apparently had everything down to the last detail. Hell, he even thought to give Tenseiga to Sesshomaru and the Tetsusaiga to him knowing that it would be nearly impossible for them to destroy each other, no matter how much they had thought they wanted to.

Inuyasha was slightly puzzled back then when Sesshomaru's pursuit of the Tetsusaiga diminished greatly. His brother seemingly had come to that conclusion way before it even was a spark in Inuyasha's mind. He had remembered vaguely Sesshomaru warning Kagome of the importance of Tetsusaiga to keep his demon blood sealed in previous encounters. Now it all made sense.

As a result, an unspoken truce developed of sort and their encounters became even less frequent. In thinking about his fang, Inuyasha often wondered about his father's reason for his generosity to the human race. Perhaps he felt loyalty to a race that his Izayoi came from. From previous recounting of people Inuyasha had met during his travels, InoTaisho apparently was a fierce but fair warrior. His compassion for the weaker species intensified after having fallen in love with a human hama. She was beautiful and kind. Almost identical in temperament as the dog general despite the chasm of their kinds.

In his worst moments, Inuyasha detested them both for giving him life. It was not an easy life even while his mother had been alive. The slurs and insult of his hanyou state were grumbled quietly but still evident nonetheless. After her death, those slurs and insults became more obvious and the physical abuse started. What kind of childhood was that for anyone to endure? How he managed was sometimes beyond his understanding. Looking back, Inuyasha could not wish that fate even on his worst enemies. Perhaps that was why the race for the Shikon jewel became an obsession in granting his wish to becoming a full demon. However, by the time they had retrieved the broken shards and completely recomposed the jewel, Inuyasha realized that being a full demon would mean he would not be able to wield the Tetsusaiga, his father's only legacy to him. Perhaps it was not at all what it was cracked up to be to reach that state. He would lose that nature to feel, that human capacity to reason. Kagome, Sango and Miroku had often reminded him of the times he had transformed into full demon with no other intelligent thoughts than except to kill.

Inuyasha did not want that prize that badly.

So he did not invoke the wish. Nevertheless, his friends had left the jewel in his possession to do as he wished if and when circumstances change.

His pack. He sure missed them. It seemed proper to bring Rin to meet Sango and Miroku. They would love her as _she_ would have.

The hanyou absently fingered the jewel hanging on his neck in lieu of the onyx rosary which had been his constant companion until the miko decided to go back to her world. When Kagome left the feudal era, she had released him from the subjugation spell. Although, he sometimes missed the rosary's heavy weight around his neck, but really, if he were to be totally honest with himself, he actually found he missed … _her_. He wondered, sometimes in the deepest and quietest part of the night, what became of the miko in her modern time and his heart would twist strangely and painfully at these thoughts.

_Baka._ Shaking off the cloud of depression that suddenly had invaded his mind, he shoved off the wall where he had been leaning against while awaiting young Rin. _That was the past. _He should leave it well buried

_Rin deserved better than that._

Inuyasha's thought came back to the young girl whom he had developed such an instant rapport in the first moment when they met. Was this jewel something he could use to ease Rin's pain? He was not sure if that was what she wanted. Rin had been told by the medicine healer who took care of her injuries that it was just a matter of time when a small trigger could somehow burst wide open the dam of her memory and release the floodgates. The headaches were supposedly precursors as her mind tried to assimilate the missing pieces.

Inuyasha would wait and see. If needed be, he will give the jewel to her. With that thought, he felt comforted and it was not long before Inuyasha's ears twitched slightly as they picked up the sound of soft footsteps approaching down the corridors.

"Inuyasha. Thank kami." Rin's face appeared around the corner, relief evident in her voice as she laughed nervously. "I was afraid I had taken a wrong turn somewhere." She came up to him quickly and linked her slender arms impulsively about the hanyou's waist. "I didn't want to be rude to your brother if we showed up late at the table."

Inuyasha returned her embrace while feeling a slight tremor passing through her tiny frame. He pulled slightly away to observe her face. _She did have such a familiar resemblance to the miko._

She still looked tired and a slight flush stained her cheeks.

"Hey, this place is not that bad and actually my brother is not that bad if you avoid him altogether." A sheathed claw chucked the skin under her chin lightly as he teased her and watched her mouth pulled inexorably into a slightly crooked smile. She got the joke. But the smile was not her usual gamin self.

"You still don't feel well." The bantering turned serious. It was more a statement rather than a question while his hand smoothed over the soft bangs of her forehead.

"Don't be silly." She chided him softly, denial written on her face despite the delicate wrinkling of her button nose. Yes, she still was in some pain. The relaxing bath helped to some degree but with a strange surrounding, that somehow felt vaguely familiar, resurrected her feeling of restlessness. "Let us leave right after we have our meal and after we thank Lord Sesshomaru." For some reasons, Rin wanted to be away from this grandeur as soon as possible. Something about the place and its host made her feel that a snare was closing in on her. It was unsettling to say the least.

Inuyasha heard an unusually desperate note in her voice and saw the pain that was still marring the smooth forehead and his mind was made up. He bent slightly and scooped her up in his arms.

"Rin, you should go back to bed." He nuzzled her cheek gently with his own, while turning around to go back to her chambers.

"But, Inuyasha, I don't want to be rude to your brother." Worry laced her features as he entered her room and dropped her gently onto the bed.

"Silly." Inuyasha kissed the soft spot of her throat, inhaling her delicate scent. "I can handle Sesshomaru," pulling an ebony strand of her hair and letting the wave wound lightly around his finger. "I'll have some food sent up to you.. and Rin," as she turned her face enquiringly up to his, "the sooner you get well, the sooner we can leave." He smirked wickedly as bright honey eyes stared challengingly into dark sherry depths.

Rin rose to the bait so beautifully. "All right, Inuyasha." She complied softly, lying back under the soft sheets once again.

He rose from the bed and left the room after dropping a soft kiss on the top of her head. The bruised look in her eyes disappeared as she closed her eyes.

OoOoOoOoOo

In his private chambers, Sesshomaru silently kept his rage in check after sensing the affectionate gestures Inuyasha bestowed on the girl and hearing the exchange between the hanyou and his ward. His keen senses immediately went on high alert when the girl stepped into Inuyasha's path in the hallway. He felt her breathing when the baka nuzzled her neck and the tender way Inuyasha held the girl before dropping her onto the bed.

Once upon a time, _he_ was the one to kiss that special place on her fragile collarbone. _He_ was the one to touch her more intimately, knew how to excite her and make her mewl helplessly in his arms. Now his brother was encroaching on his territory.

_Hell!_

He was finding it more difficult to stop breaking Inuyasha's neck the longer they stay close to each other.

He had to find what the hell was going on and soon for his sanity's sake.

OoOoOoOoOo

Later in the night, after ensuring that Rin had eaten a light meal that was brought up to her room, Inuyasha partook his meal while Sesshomaru silently brooded in his chair while twirling a cup of sake in his palm. The golden eyes were veiled but Inuyasha could feel their intensity boring a hole on his face when Jaken barged in. Two pairs of similar eyes looked at the green imp as he hurriedly made his way to bend before his lord.

"My lord," he hesitated but his agitation was obvious.

"What is it?" the Taiyoukai asked, an eyebrow arched haughtily, momentarily distracted from torturing his younger brother in his mind. Jaken knew better than to disturb him during his meal time.

"A creature is requesting Lord Inuyasha's presence." Jaken bowed humbly, scraping the floor with the ever present staff of Heads.

Inuyasha almost spluttered in his drink that was raised to his lips. "Jaken, do not call me that." He smirked mockingly._ Feh_. _Don't care to be labeled the same as that arrogant ass sitting at the head of the table_.

Inuyasha took a final swig of his drink before standing up and going into the wide hall.

Strange. No one knew that he had been back as yet. It must be of some importance for this person to know where he was to seek him out especially to even dare and venture inside Sesshomaru's domain. He rounded the corner and came face to face with a young male demon slayer who was anxiously pacing the floor.

"Sejii." Inuyasha was not really surprised. He'd figured as much. Wise Sango and Miroku would be the only ones to track his whereabouts so meticulously.

"Inuyasha-san," the young warrior's face lit up upon seeing the hanyou. "I am glad to have found you." They greeted each other heartily. Sejii hailed from the human village that Sango and Miroku had settled in. He was personally hand selected by Sango to pass on her skills as a fighter after her own beloved brother had succumbed to their archenemy, Naraku. The strong facial likeness Sejii possessed may have been a strong determinant in her decision but he had more than proven his skills as the next great demon slayer. The boy had met Inuyasha on several occasions before the hanyou decided to take leave on a personal sabbatical. Sango and Miroku were not the only ones who missed the gruff hanyou who had a heart of gold. Sejii was totally enraptured with their tales in pursuit of the shards and idolized Inuyasha.

"Listen, Inuyasha." Sejji's voice had taken on a urgent note as he cut straight to the matter. "We need your help. Miroku-san and Sango-san sent me here." He quickly stepped away motioning for Inuyasha to do the same. Jaken was hovering nearby and Sejii didn't trust demons one bit…. and the Inu Taiyoukai's quest for power was legendary. The journey here was perilous in itself and he was not sure of his reception at the castle. He was just glad that Sango and the monk were able to surmise that Inuyasha would be in the vicinity. Words had spread that the hanyou was back on mainland Nippon and he had a female companion in tow. Sango-san was _most_ curious and had instructed Sejii to recount _every_ detail upon his return.

Jaken saw the discreet move and raised his head haughtily and sniffed loudly before disappearing from the hall. He could care less what those two had to say.

The two people watched the imp take his leave and continued with their conversation.

"Our village and the nearby ones are under attack." Sejii intoned quietly but the anxiety was clearly etched on his face. "Sango is in the final stages of her pregnancy and Miroku could not risk her health or the baby."

"What ??!?! Why didn't you get to me sooner?" Inuyasha demanded, his eyes glaring at the young boy while cracking his knuckles loudly.

"I got here as soon as we were more certain of your whereabouts. The siege is in a standstill but we are simply overpowered by their sheer number."

"Feh. Lead on." Inuyasha grinned excitedly. His blood began to sing. It has been quiet for far too long and he needed a good excuse to exercise his skills and the Tetsusaiga definitely needed a good workout. However, he halted when realization hit him and he stopped dead in his track.

"Inuyasha". An even voice stopped him, echoing in the vast entryway. A vision in white fluidly drifted into the spacious hallway. _Damn, with just one word, Sesshomaru could speak volumes. _ They turned to face the lord of the land.

Sesshomaru had heard all that transpired from the first moment the slayer opened his mouth and thought it high time to intervene. _This could be his only opportunity to get to the bottom of the mystery without that annoying mutt around_. He moved soundlessly to the two people, his face totally inscrutable.

"Sesshomaru-sama." Sejii inclined his head warily, awed by the sheer magnificence of the dog demon lord but standing proud.

Inuyasha plowed in. "Sesshomaru. I need for Rin to stay with you until she is completely recovered." His spoke quickly as though doubtful of Sesshomaru's agreement. He knew his brother despised humans. That was a well-known fact but he was reluctant to drag Rin into a dangerous situation since she was still feeling poorly. Those headaches just about do her in. He always felt as helpless when she suffered one of those episodes. Keeping her quiet and rested were about all anyone could do.

Inuyasha was running out of options. Rin was still under the weather and he did not want her condition to worsen traipsing around with him and fighting fights that he knew she would have no stamina to take on that challenge.

He half expected for Sesshomaru to kick up a fuss, albeit a cold, icy fuss and refused outright to harbor ningens in his house indefinitely but was caught off guard when Sesshomaru slightly inclined his silvery hair in affirmation.

_What the heck? Did Sesshomaru just agreed to my suggestion?_ The hanyou's jaw slackened and he was robbed momentarily of speech.

"Half-breed." Sesshomaru started speaking. "She can stay as long as she keeps well out of this Sesshomaru's way." Derision curled the corners of his lips. "She will be dispatched to you as quickly as she is recovered."

"Hey, baka. We are not going to take your charity. Send her to me or better yet, we'll both be out of your hair soon enough. I guarantee it." Honey eyes looked at his older brother, challenge written in every line of the lean, red-clad body.

_If only you knew, Inuyasha. I just want you to get out of my way before I have to forcibly chuck you out myself. _The Taiyoukai promised himself, his hand lovingly touching the blunt leather-bounded hilts of his two swords. Sesshomaru recalled his silent pledge to protect her from harm. And even right now, Inuyasha was considered an obstacle.

"I will be back before you even know it." Inuyasha grinned hardily at the stoic-faced demon lord before he turned and took off into the night with Sejii following closely behind.

oOoOoOo

Sesshomaru watched his brother's disappearing form without another word. That idiot always seemed to leap before he looked and that had landed him in several unsavory episodes. Sesshomaru could remember having heard and seen the strange-garbed miko trying to instill some sense into him. Sesshomaru had reluctantly admired Kagome for having been able to do just that…to have kept his brother alive despite Inuyasha' tendency to leap before he look.

_Inuyasha. _

That name usually had Sesshomaru grinding his fangs at the appalling witlessness his half-brother so vigorously displayed at times. Sesshomaru had to admit that the young miko did seem to bring sense and logic to his half-brother, otherwise, their father's name would have been dragged more often through the dirt even worse than when InuTaisho decided to mate with Inuyasha's mother. Sesshomaru no longer hated Inuyasha for having Father's blood coursing through his veins. Sesshomaru only detested him because he was primarily a boor, uncouth creature who let emotions get the better of him. Surely, those have their time and circumstances to be appropriately displayed? The hanyou's strongest suit was not definitely a social type. His public behavior left a lot to be desired. Actually, Inuyasha showed more heart than intelligence and Sesshomaru marveled at times at his stupidity.

Inuyasha was truly a classless, hapless creature. Sesshomaru disliked the boorish way his half-brother wield the Tetsusaiga as though he were butchering an animal. Feh, he absolutely had no finesse in wielding the strong sword, instead choosing to wave it about like an imbecile.

Baka Inuyasha. Another mark against his half-brother was the fact that his half-brother was so strongly linked, so sympathetic to the human race of his mother. Sesshomaru witnessed that attachment time and time again during their few confrontations. Inuyasha was willing to do whatever it required, at whatever costs to ensure the safety of his travel pack. Unwillingly, Sesshomaru began to feel a grudging respect for his younger sibling because whatever Inuyasha did, he did it wholeheartedly and showed such fierce determination.

Ironically, Sesshomaru failed to recognize for the longest time that _he_ was cut from the same cloth as his brother and he had behaved in the same exact manner, if not more terribly and deadlier since he could do so much more damage in his desire to protect. He was not quite as vocal but the protective instincts were the same to Rin and his _own_ motley crew. Before, Sesshomaru always felt that his father favored Inuyasha more because he gave the hanyou the mighty Tetsusaiga. Whereas, he received nothing more than a useless sword.

_Not quite so useless._ His heart immediately reminded him. In fact, the Tenseiga had become a treasured artifact because it inescapably bounded _her_ life to the demon lord.

_Well, the useless sword was not so useless after all_. _It brought you your crowning achievement._

He had been so wrong. He did not miss out on his share of his father's devotion. He was not ignored; he was not unloved like he had thought. It took one small act on his part and one human girl to open his eyes and see his father's high regard and affection for his heir.

_Maybe, just maybe we do have something in common, little brother_. Sesshomaru thought to himself, his lips curved ever so slightly into a small, sardonic smile before they straightened and became stoic once more.

So far, since Inuyasha and Rin had come to the palace, Sesshomaru came so close to succumb to his basest desire and beat Inuyasha to a pulp for daring to even look at her. It took centuries to pass before the lord felt love for a little thing who had stumbled into his life and changed the landscape of his heart forever.

Of face, Sesshomaru was a beautiful creature likened to that of an angel of mercy rather than the reaper of death. So many of his foes had thought that before they fell before his mighty sword or his poisonous claws. Sesshomaru sometimes considered his looks to be more of a bane than a blessing. He did not care to be fawned over and such sycophantic behaviors only made him become more isolated, more withdrawn unto himself because he could not distinguish their desire for him was based purely on his wealth, his power or for him alone. Isolationism worked out rather quite well until his group expanded unexpectedly.

Less emotion that way….Damn it all.

But_ this_ girl knew nothing of it when she first saw him. Nothing about who he was. Nothing about his background. Absolutely nothing. He was injured and his fineries were in rags. But she stayed and took care of him without his asking.

She must have been as intrigued by his appearances as he was caught up in hers. Though her own plight was evident in the tattered clothes and the bruises she sported, he was blinded by her eternal optimism and caring heart. He had seen her eyes widened when they first locked gaze. Although Sesshomaru had turned his head away quickly, her features were somehow indelibly and incredibly became imprinted on his mind. _That_ was the beginning of his downfall, he now acknowledged wryly.

With just one look and he knew his days as a loner were numbered. Now, it was just so inbred, entwined, instinctive that he had …nay, _needed_ to take care of her. He would not trust any one else other than himself with this task. He needed her as if she were the very air that sustained him. There had been many times when Sesshomaru reflected back when his father asked if he had something to protect and he had so vehemently denied such weaknesses. The irony of this situation was lost not on Sesshomaru.

As it was, he was as indentured to a human as Inuyasha but with a marked difference. Sesshomaru knowingly and deliberately placed this yoke on _his_ own shoulders while the miko tricked his foolish brother with her subjugation beads. Under this circumstance, Sesshomaru knew he was more fallible than Inuyasha. He has chosen to belong to her with his eyes wide open and fully aware of the consequences. His own subjugation spell was not in the form of rosary beads; it was more intricate, more precious than mere beads. His rosary beads were in the shape and form of a young human girl. Apparently, all she had to do was utter a cry seeking _his_ name and Sesshomaru's reactions became pure instinct and compulsively immediate.

If there ever were a more compelling reason for Sesshomaru to detest the hanyou more, it would have to be this moment when his ward was being comforted by Inuyasha. This revealing moment when he felt jealousy ripped through him, of his blood heating through his limbs, his body stripped of the carefully molded veneer of callous indifference to expose the animalistic, possessive nature when his territory was being treaded upon.

How the mighty had fallen, he mocked himself silently. If his enemies only knew how much power this frail girl wielded over the great lord, they would not stop at nothing to bring her harm. Yet, despite all this, Sesshomaru found out almost too late that it was better for her … _and more so for him_….to be beside him than not. He could face anything if she were next to him. The last two dismal years had proven that. The only excuse that would make the misery of those days more palatable was that he always had her best interest in _his_ heart.

But now that Fate had decided to give him a second chance, he was not going to fail.

He could not…._would_ not let her go.

_I have become my Father_.

oOoOoOo

Rin awoke and stretched fully, the pain in her head slightly lessening. The fingers of dawn streaked lightly across the horizon, the weak sunlight filtering through the screen windows yet promising another beautiful day. She sat up, stretched her tired muscles and looked around her more closely, adjusting to the sight of the room. When she was brought here, she remembered brief glimpses of the room's interior. The room was beautifully furnished with ancient furniture and precious family heirloom which were proudly displayed.

It was luxuriously appointed. Yet, it had a comfortable feel making her feel as though she was no stranger to this lifestyle. She laughed at herself. _How in the world you could think that you are familiar with this opulent setting?_ As far as she could recall, her life had been purely basic survival mode.

Ironic though, isn't it? A loner such as Lord Sesshomaru would probably a possess a domicile fitting to his dark and forbidding personality. But she was pleasant surprised. His home was totally unexpected. A contradiction of the man himself. Who would want to leave this place if they could live like a king? The richness of the tapestry, the beautiful beddings, and the antique furniture were testament to Lord Sesshomaru's vast wealth, elegant taste, and a fine appreciation for beauty. Although they were splendid, the comfort factor of the room was not ignored. The room, if anything, magnified the paradoxical nature of the mysterious lord. He became an object of her curiosity as the time in his presence deepened. Rin could not help but feel that deep down, she knew that he could care less of the material gains of the world.

_Funny._ Rin brushed her thought aside. _I am thinking way too much about the brother. I need to find Inuyasha._ She should leave to find Inuyasha and be safe in his comfortable presence once again. _Comfortable?_ Was that all that she felt for him? A stray thought inadvertently broke through her consciousness. Rin had always hoped to find a love that was everlasting. A love that brought passion rather than ho-hum, that she could not see anything else, that she would sacrifice all. _That_ was the kind of love she was searching for. But yet, she was _comfortable_ with Inuyasha? Rin quickly pushed the notion away, feeling guilty. Inuyasha and she were in love! She was certain of it…..W_hy else would she start having misgivings?_

Rin reached for a yukata gown and pulled it determinedly over her under shirt. Slipping quietly out into the wide corridor, she realized that she was not sure where Inuyasha was staying. The early morning air felt frigid and Rin shivered slightly, pulling the front of her yukata robe a little bit tighter around her slim throat.

She could hear the bustling of servants as they get ready for another day of chores. Rin pressed herself closer to the wall. Heavens forbid if she were to run into a demon. The demon would probably not hesitate to attack her with the least probable provocation if they thought she was an intruder in the palace.

"Girl," a voice softly sounded near her ear almost as if it were sweetly caressing the tender lobe.

Rin gasped, startled when the Lord of the Western Lands appeared out of nowhere.

"Good morning, Sesshomaru-sama." She nervously gazed at him, heart beating frantically. _That was why I am in such a state since this demon lord has a tendency to lurk about so soft-footedly. _Her mind reasoned. But her heart protested against the fib. Her nervousness had absolutely nothing to do with sheer beauty and quiet strength the demon lord possessed. He had nothing to do with it at all. Right?

Rin stopped to regain her composure and formally bowed. "I am looking for Inuyasha," her eyes searching his face. "Could you point me to the right direction?"

"Inuyasha is no longer in residence." His succinct words were like bucket of cold water doused over them and he crossed his arm in front of his chest and mentally braced for the explosion to occur.

"_What?!??!"_ Her voice raised slightly at the news. Out in the corner of her eyes, she had seen annoyance flashed quickly across those tawny eyes before they became icy once again. It would not do to throw a tantrum in the lord's house. Inhaling on a deep breath, Rin composed her thoughts and lowered her voice. She did not want to prove to the lord that all human creatures were inane, crazy, easily influenced by their emotions. "Where. Did. He. Go?"

Inuyasha would not have left her if the situation was not critical, Rin reasoned in a logical manner. But surely, for Inuyasha to leave her with a comparative stranger of his half-brother, it must have been some dreadful and urgent news.

_I could have helped you, Inuyasha_. Rin muttered in her mind.

"No, you could not. Inuyasha's presence was requested to quell a minor uprising in a human village where the demon slayer Sango resided." Sesshomaru answered, his voice precise. "It would be only foolhardy for you to walk into a battle scene unprepared and still in ill health." Rin blushed, amazed that he could read her mind so easily. Rin girl, be careful, the young girl chided herself. _This lord is a perceptive creature and unless you want to be an open book to him, be on guard._

He grimaced. Inuyasha actually did the right thing when this decision had to be made. The girl was foolish, fearlessly rushing into something without a thought to her personal safety. _But that is one of the things you love about her._ His mind scorned at him.

"Come," he glided ahead of her shadow, creating a light breeze that teased the fine silver hair and making it sway gracefully on his back. "We will find you some food that your kind can consume."

Rin followed him wordlessly, smelling the fresh forest spice scent that seemed intricately woven deep in him. He smelled just perfectly against this backdrop of mountain ranges, tall pine trees and tinkling bodies of water.

They situated in the main dining hall where he gracefully seated himself and motioned for Rin to do the same. Rin noticed that Sesshomaru sat at the other end of the room, presumably to avoid her human stench.

She was puzzled at the unexpected generosity of the Western Lord. From all account, Inuyasha was most adamant about his brother never being helpful, especially to a human.

Yet here he was. Offering her temporary refuge when he could easily toss her out on her ears.

The demon lord was a major contradiction.

With that, Rin firmly shook thoughts of Sesshomaru aside and started to eye the food hungrily. They were so deliciously prepared. Her mouth started to water as she watched servants filing in the great dining hall to deliver food.

"Ummm..Lord Sesshomaru," her look of bewilderment was obvious. "Surely, this is too much?" The spread in front of her was almost unending.

Sesshomaru cast her a penetrating look. "We have had all your favorites prepared."

She gave a start. "_My_ favorites?"

"Yes."

"But, how…How would your staff have known?" She was bewildered. Something was very disarming about the golden eyes that have been focused unerringly on her ever since they met in the corridor.

Sesshomaru shook his head, indicating that she should concentrate on filling her plate. He maintained silence until he saw that she tucked in quite a good quantity of food. Rin needs to be fattened up. He ached at the slenderness of the girl.

_Look at what happened when she decided to go on her own devices. Undernourished, lonely and towing a boyfriend along. Feh._

Sesshomaru needed to take care of her like he needed to draw breath. He needed to be by her side like he needed no one else before.

After about three quarters of the meal time went by and Rin was starting to be full, she laid down her utensils and dabbed her mouth delicately. He eyed the amount of food she had consumed and was quite satisfied. Given time, she will once again blossom in full health and will lose that gaunt look in her cheeks.

Rin looked at Sesshomaru expectantly as though waiting to be dismissed from his presence. She was longing for the solitude of her room and away from the disturbing presence of this stranger who seemed to be able to tap into all her sensory buttons and take them into overdrive. Since Inuyasha was not there to run interference, she found herself tongue-tied. And she really did not want to prolong the time spent in his presence knowing his penchant for disliking humans.

Accurately deciphering the expressions chasing across the girl's features, Sesshomaru decided to make the first statement.

"Rin."

He called her name softly for the first time, his face held a tender yet exasperated look. "Do you not remember this Sesshomaru?" Impatience tinged his voice slightly at having to talk to the top of her bent head.

Rin reared her head up in surprise, shaken out of her musing and looking at him as though he had sprouted two heads. "Remember you? We've never met before!" She was confused and indignant but _oh_…. her name did sound so right rolling off his tongue. A hectic flush stole into her cheeks at the distracting thought.

"Why do you deny you know me?" His eyes had narrowed, his posture ram-rod straight in his chair.

"I do not know what you mean, my lord." Rin was bewildered. What game is this brother playing? Disbelief was written in her eyes as she met his eyes finally. Lord Sesshomaru's fame as a warrior and a strategist were known far and wide in this land. What was he trying to find out from her?

In a flash, Sesshomaru was standing next to Rin's chair but not quite touching. She could feel the heat emanating from his body and she gave a slight shiver, feeling a sudden chill invading her frame.

"How could you forget about us?" Molten eyes stared at her, silently commanding her. His demonic youki was starting to rise and his gaze took on a disbelieving mode.

"Us? Us? What are you saying? I've never seen you before." She edged her body away slightly to look up at him full in the face, the brown eyes clear as a child's while wondering if the dog lord had lost his marbles. "I've been traveling with Inuyasha and I can safely say that you and I have never met." Her denial was heartfelt and he was almost convinced that she truly did not recognize him.

"It was such a drastic way to leave me. Surely I deserved a better explanation." The dog demon bit out harshly, unable to prevent the slight bitterness coloring his words, the silver head inclined in a haughty manner. "I would have been prepared to find you a decent human village and to escort you there myself. Did what happen upset you so much that you had to depart from me without a trace?" Sesshomaru continued, his voice became neutral again. He wanted to know what caused her to jump out of his grasp like a frightened rabbit. His Rin was more courageous than that.

"Look, Lord Sesshomaru. You must have gotten me confused with another creature." Rin hurriedly pushed her seat back and rose to her feet feeling at a definite disadvantage while the youkai lord hovered over her. Suddenly, whatever that was left of her appetite disappeared into wisps of smoke as she listened to the barrage of questions that she had no idea where they stemmed from. Could the lord have mistaken her with another girl? But he hated humans so why would he have known another human? It was not by his choice that Inuyasha was in his sphere and Rin did not think that the lord would deliberately seek out a human for companionship. She wondered what kind of relationship he had with this missing creature that she somehow resembled.

_Eeepp, kami, not only that they were supposed to have been acquainted with each other, it sounded as though there were some level of intimacy between him and this girl that was supposed to be her_. Rin shivered slightly, sensations of feathery wisps of kisses and of passionate ones floated in her mind. _NO! That was impossible._

"I don't know who you are referring to. But I assure you, it was not me." Rin insisted. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to go back to my chambers. I have lost my appetite." She looked at him defiantly, her eyes daring him to disallow her that freedom. Actually, she just wanted to escape those searching eyes that seemed to hunger for something unknown. Head held high and back stiff, Rin turned and started away from the table.

The demon moved so quickly that he was a white blur before he stood in front of her blocking her path firmly. "If you are so certain that you and this Sesshomaru have never met each other, then do you have a birthmark just about right here?" he asked with soft urgency while his hand reached out and fluttered near her right thigh.

Rin emitted a startled yelp and stepped back, unnerved by the lord's sudden intimate action, her heart racing at their close proximity that she could almost feel the warmth emanating from the presence so tall beside her.

"No!" Rin's face paled with shock as she struck his hand away. "I have _no_ marks anywhere. How _dare_ you try to lay your hand on me?" His long fingers had nearly touched her intimately. She could almost feel its blistering heat through the thin yukata robe. Sherry eyes darkened and flashed angrily at his audacity. Her oval face a stiff white mask and lips thinned as she bit down trying to stop them from quivering. She did not care if he was a demon lord who was capable of killing her on the spot; she was not going to allow such familiarity. Breathing loudly, Rin spun away from him and walked off in the direction of her chamber. _Let him dare stop me. I will fight him with my last breath_.

Sesshomaru seethed inwardly, feeling helpless as she brushed his hand away, his eyes glued on her disappearing form. He could not afford to force the situation to the extreme that Rin will turn totally defensive against him and thus blocking his means to get to her. Realizing that he will have to watch his steps more carefully, the demon watched her walked away, back stiff and proud as though daring him to interfere. The harshness left the golden eyes and they slowly and reluctantly glowed with a wicked amusement unbeknownst to the girl.

Knowing full well golden eyes were trained on her back, Rin managed to walk sedately to her room only by the grace of the kamis. Once behind her chamber door, Rin locked it for good measure and knew maliciously that he had heard the catch fell into place. At the sound of lock turned, her false bravado melted away completely leaving her trembling helplessly.

Her mind screamed at her, thoughts scattered to the four winds. Moving slowly like a dazed drunken person, Rin reached the middle of her room and leaned against the bed post for support. She breathed deeply and closed her eyes before they opened again and glittered in a stiff white face as she glanced at herself in the full length mirror situated near her bed. Rin's fingers shook slightly as she slowly peeled away a layer of her yukata covering to reveal a small strawberry in the shape of a tiny star nestled in the hollow of her right groin area. She stood there for long time, mesmerized by that mark.

_How did he know? What did it mean? Did they know each other like what he said?_

Gods! What was he doing down there to know such a thing existed. _What were they doing together? _Her eyes blurred slightly and felt nauseous at the birthmark which had suddenly become so offensive in her sight.

_Inuyasha, please hurry back._

Back in the dining room where Rin left Sesshomaru gazing at her departure. He inhaled deeply, feeling the scents of creatures and of the air surrounding him while a ghost of a smile suddenly and gently touched the corner of his lips as he detected the sweet scent of Rin and the spike in her suddenly erratic heartbeat.

_My Rin is very confused. _It had to be done to shake her out of her reverie, but he grimaced at the suddenness of his delivery. He could feel her heart wrenching in pain and puzzlement. The seed of doubt had been planned and taken roots.

_Good. She needed to snap out of it and know him again. He is waiting for her. _

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

**RETURN MY LOVE**

Disclaimer: Do not own Inuyasha but I do own this story plot, pathetic though it could be at times.

(A/N: My abject apologies. Absolutely no excuse but would this fly…(I had to ship my parents off to Asia for a 3-month vacation as new "retirees") …This is totally unforgivable that my muse was so uncooperative and did not want to play in my sandbox).

_**CHAPTER 6: SESSHOMARU' S CONTEMPLATION**_

_**(Flashback)**_

_**Two years ago……**_

He must have been an unexpected occurrence to the young child as he had lain prone on the forest floor by the ancient, gnarled tree. Silvery hair billowed around him and golden eyes that had turned crimson as the girl crept closer for a better look. His lips had tautened baring scissor-sharp teeth that warned the trespasser to do so at her own risk. The silken clothes he had on, though tattered and stained with blood, had denoted someone of high rank and birth. Strange markings on his face and the crescent moon on his forehead gave him an exotic appearance of an inhabitant from another world.

From the widening of her large brown eyes, Sesshomaru was certain that the girl had never seen any one such as him and despite his weakened state, he had still sensed her heart throbbing faster inside her body and he had glimpsed the color suffusing her small frame and softly staining her cheeks. Yet, she braved his snarls, ignored his threats, and edged even closer.

In all his years, no one had ignored his commands and lived for long.

But he had let her. Inuyasha's attack must have left him weaker than he had thought possible to spare the girl's life in encroaching on _his_ personal space.

The young girl never uttered a word to him. Sesshomaru, who lived for much of his life as a loner and a solitary figure, found it ironic that he _was_ the one actually making the effort of what turned out to be a one-sided conversation.

_His_ side.

How ludicrous and pathetic.

In thinking back, Sesshomaru acknowledged his fate had been decided almost immediately in those first few days of meeting the girl. When he had enquired in a noncommittal tone, about the awful bruises to only receive a brilliant smile from a battered face, he was confused that she did not shed tears of self-pity like he presumed her kind would have done. Sesshomaru had lived far too long and observed too many humans to see anything good coming out from them. But she turned all his pre-conceived notions upside down quite early on.

Later when he had smelt her blood, he was inexplicably drawn to seek her out, to reach her and stem the life force from draining completely away from her slight frame.

But he was too late.

Upon seeing the broken and bruised body of the girl child, the demon lord felt strangely compelled to save her and Tenseiga had responded accordingly. Up until this moment, Sesshomaru was quite certain that it must have been something in _him_ that had urgently communicated itself to the sword and it had obediently reacted to its master's bidding. Together, they resurrected the girl despite his inclination to hate humans and despite his resolve to isolate himself from their troublesome presence. No, it was _not_ really idle curiosity that made him unsheathe Tenseiga that day.

And the fact that she chose to follow him onward meant _absolutely_ nothing to him. The quickening of his heartbeat knowing her shadow was only a few paces away was utterly of no importance or that his gaze had discretely lingered on her quite often throughout the day was mere happenstance.

She was part of that detestable species that really didn't deserve him expending time and energy mulling over. Yet, despite his hardened heart and mind, the girl's gentleness and inward loveliness crept upon him undetected and unchecked, putting paid to this supposed feeling of non-indifference towards her. The magnitude of his emotion for this nonentity startled the great lord and caught him totally unaware of its tenacious grip on him.

He had watched the girl blossom right before his very eyes and it had astounded him that ten years had passed so quickly. She had reached so many milestones in her life in a blink of _his_ eye and it brought a strange pang to his heart thinking about her short grasp on life. His heart had lurched at the thought of when, at the end of that time span, they would be forever parted.

Physically, she had grown and became a young lady of seventeen. Rin could never have been accused of possessing any blatant signs of obvious beauty. She was not the voluptuous kind like most female demons but the bright smiles, the long coltish legs, the slender hips, the budding breasts, the lovely scent, and _those_ eyes have their own appeal.

And yes, they _did_ appeal very much to the demon lord.

_Everything_ about her pleased his senses.

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Most demons, and likely humans as well, probably saw her merely as an ordinary creature, redeemed by a pair of dark brown eyes that sparkled with life. Her wide generous mouth was seemingly forever curved into a permanent smile and transformed her face into something quite astounding. For such an eternal optimist, it had quite often puzzled him of how his human girl came to _chose_ him, the deliverer of death, as her constant companion.

Perhaps having had experienced death, Rin was overflowing with life since her revival by his sword. Never one to be afraid to show her exuberance since she, perhaps, better than most, realized that time waited for no one. Rin was not completely frivolous and inane, but because of that horrible event, Sesshomaru believed that her compassion and forgiveness for mankind and demons alike became more undaunted.

Rin packed so much love and joy in such a small frame; he was surprised that she did not burst from it. How many times had he witnessed her simply finding happiness in the warm sun on a lazy afternoon, or picking wild flowers that were strewn in their paths or playing her flute in her garden. Definitely, she was no extraordinary beauty but to him, she was so much more precious than anything he had ever possessed.

He was firmly entrenched in the enchantment that she had weaved.

She fascinated him.

And he guarded that secret close to his heart.

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The demon lord realized early on that he was the primary beneficiary of the girl's emotional outlet. He _knew_ of her admiration, her fondness, and especially of her affection for him. She found him most favorable in her eyes and nothing in his action was unjustifiable. Rin believed her lord was a stern but fair lord. His retribution was swift if challenged but she had never known him to be provoking a fight and throwing his weight around. Knowing that Rin was proud of him for what he was, Sesshomaru silently tempered his personality to be in keeping with her view of him. There had been a time when he would methodically kill anyone with the slightest provocation and felt no remorse, but now, he would give a moment's pause before acting so rashly and mercilessly.

All because of a pair of wide brown eyes that adored him so unstintingly and believed the best of him.

Still, no creatures would be stupid enough to mock him outright of this "flaw".

As she reached marriageable age, Sesshomaru began to realize that surely she must desire a family of her own, a brood of children to lavish affection on and a …. husband… to love.

The unbidden thought of some filthy male touching Rin always made Sesshomaru's stomach tightened painfully with a silent rage; he found the idea totally repulsive. Just the mere thought of some disgusting, clumsy idiot attempting to show Rin the ways of love was enough to infuriate the Taiyoukai.

He _wanted_ to be the one.

His face should be the face superimposed on that unknown human male. In his most illogical moments and wildest imagining, Sesshomaru could possibly see his own image stamped on a handful of silvered-hair children who possessed a strange likeness to his girl companion, while swarming around and adoring their mother. The girl herself was garbed in the traditional kimono gown with the familiar Inu insignia. The similarity between mother and children were so obvious that no one could refute their kinship. Instinctively, he knew Rin would be a wonderful mother to her children…..

His thoughts usually skidded to an abrupt halt at this point and those visions were sharply shuffled aside in his mind, while an oath passed his lips.

Damn it. That could not happen. The chasm between them was just too great to overcome regardless of what they might have felt for each other.

But he could not have imagined the extreme route their separation would become purely due to his crass idiocy.

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Sesshomaru wondered how time had flown. He remembered meeting the girl on that fateful day at the edge of the clearing and now ten summers (A/N: if this wasn't clear before, Rin was 17-yrs old before she went AWOL from Sesshomaru. She was 19 years old when she met up with Sesshomaru again courtesy via Inuyasha) had passed so rapidly. He remembered witnessing her gangly arms and legs lengthened awkwardly as she tried to adjust to her physical changes. And when her breasts filled out, he felt her exasperation and annoyance at their apparent uselessness since they became more aggravating and painful when she started her cycle. The only thing that helped ease her uncomfortable transition was _his_ apparent obliviousness, his deliberate lack of drawing attention to her physiological maturation.

He had never expressed anything other than calmness. His inability to become ruffled had unknowingly soothed her psyche and become balm to her raging hormones. Jaken on the other hand, had squawked and became maudlin when her physical changes started to take place. But with a few well-chosen stares and a few cold words from the dog lord, Jaken quickly hushed his tirade. He knew better than to risk his life lamenting how the girl was nothing but trouble to them in front of his lord. Lord Sesshomaru possessed such a mean streak in his defense of the girl and it was not worth Jaken's life for the toad to point out this blatant aberration to the dog demon.

Ironically, just because Sesshomaru outwardly took her formative years in stride, it did not mean that he was not in private turmoil. Never having had to deal to human especially the female kind, Sesshomaru secretly and desperately pored over his vast scroll collection hoping to help Rin better understand the changes thrumming through her body. He certainly could preach chapters and verses about the maturation of female demons.

But a human? What in _hell_ did he know about a human?

Nevertheless, he was not about to drop her off to a human village where she knew nothing about and no one there to care for her like he would be able to. So, Sesshomaru gritted his teeth and wordlessly took on this challenge.

In spite of his silent misgivings, Sesshomaru proved to be an excellent tutor in guiding her along her adolescence. His very unflappable manner soothed her frayed nerves and brought logic and peace to tumult. He was never sharp with her. Always reassuring her in that deadpan voice that this was just a phase of her growing up.

It was those damn eyes of hers that were so trusting that he had her best interests at heart and he knew Rin banked on his every word.

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Her years with him were a long series of signals that gathered strength as time flew on for Sesshomaru to address the issue of Rin's growing up. He could no longer delay the inevitable. Rin needed to be around her own kind. She needed to find the companionship humans look for when they reach that age, and to …find… a man to love.

By all accounts, at seventeen summers, she should have already been wedded and have birthed a number of children by now. But perhaps because she lacked the human environment due her, she had missed out on these opportunities. A twinge of misgiving shadowed his thoughts.

He _was_ a selfish bastard.

He should have forced her to go and live in a human village years ago. That would have helped to better integrate her back to the land of humans.

But Sesshomaru was unable to make her. Actually, _he_ was guilty of not pressing harder with her.

He, fierce lord of the West, had hesitated.

Rin was no less adamant. She had promised a long time ago that she wished to be with her lord always and forever. And Kami forgive him, he had latched on to that youthful promise more than he cared to admit. It was more for his selfish reasons that he could not relinquish her even back then.

The demon lord certainly did not lack opportunities. Their travel was littered with chances and choices to make the separation a reality.

_Execution of the deed was where he failed abysmally. _

Each time, Sesshomaru convinced himself that one more year would be sufficient. She had not learned enough yet from him to ensure she couldn't be bullied, browbeaten by anyone be they humans or demons. She just need to make just one more lesson, one more training session, one more sword sparring.

That was his problem. It was just always ….._'one more_…' something or another.

He avoided that topic for years and kept pushing it further back; if he procrastinated long enough, her life would fly from him of its own accord and he would not have to make that difficult decision to make her leave him.

But he could no longer deprive her of her rightful place in the human world. He must put aside his own selfish needs and see to hers.

It was time to cut the proverbial cord.

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"Rin." His voice sought her. They had settled in the garden of the castle, companionably contemplating the setting of the sun over the horizon. The orange ball glowed brilliantly over the beautiful landscape for the last time that day before sinking low. Dusk mantled them quickly and Sesshomaru was slightly grateful for the darkness that cloaked his intention.

Rin half turned her gaze on him, dreamy eyes blinked to adjust to the sudden dimness. Her smile was always and ever ready for her lord. Rin loved these quiet times spent with Lord Sesshomaru. She felt that she was closest to him, able to share ideas and thoughts without the interference of Jaken squawking about. Sesshomaru was very well aware that he was gentler and more visibly indulgent when it was just only the two of them.

"Yes, Lord Sesshomaru?"

"It is time for you to seek life with other humans."

He watched under half-closed lids as her complacent happiness evaporated quickly like mist and her soft lips trembled slightly at the suddenness of his words. Startled sherry orbs flew up and met expressionless amber gaze as the girl tried to read his thoughts in the gathering darkness.

"Lord Sesshomaru, have I done something to displease you?" The question came low and soft almost that he was not able to have heard without his keen ears.

Typical of her. The demon lord never witnessed Rin prevaricated and she was behaving in totally true form. She always met her challenges straight on despite the difficulty; never shirked her responsibilities. Sesshomaru noticed she kept her trembling fingers well hidden in the arms of her kimono, if it were not for the breeze that shook her, he would not have known the control she was trying to exert on her body.

Sesshomaru sighed silently. _Yes. Be strong_, he urged himself, although uncertain if the unspoken request was for Rin or more so for himself.

"You have done nothing wrong. But you must have wants and needs of a family of your own." He rebuked her gently, yet ashamed that he should stress her so upon hearing her swift intake of breath.

As always, they have skimmed this topic before but the frequency had been more regular in the face of Rin's maturing.

"My lord, I do not seek this goal. It is not one I want for myself." Rin challenged quietly, her jaw lifted to enunciate each word clearly.

Sesshomaru saw her back straightened as though prepared to go to battle and his next words had a slight tinge of impatience mixed with a certain reluctant admiration of her spirit.

"You are indeed a foolish girl." His clawed hand reached out and cut the air ruthlessly. "All human females desire this end. Is that not what humans want? Do they not want to perpetuate their race, worthless though they are?" He had stood up from his sitting position and stalked to the walled parapet overlooking his vast lands below, his exasperation evident in the lean shoulders.

All around him, all noises from the night life seemed to have ceased, breath held as though watching and waiting the outcome of this debate that had been taking place more regularly of late between the high lord and the young girl. Past results were always to the girl's advantage but it was primarily because Sesshomaru had convincingly deluded himself yet again that she could stay with him for just a little while longer. Surely, _one more_ year would have ascertained Rin to be more fully prepared and even better equipped to handle being returned to the human race.

Sesshomaru's sensitive hearing had picked up her anxious breathing despite her efforts to remain calm. Damn it all. He had not foreseen the difficulty of this until it was at hand. To be honest, Sesshomaru's inner agitation gnawed away at him at the thought of being separated from her. But he must. The Taiyoukai, who had never considered another's wellbeing or feelings until the girl came into his life, had found this a strange sensation but he was not to be deterred.

"But are those desires not the same for the demon race my lord?" Rin countered quickly, her quiet voice carried softly to his ears. Sesshomaru silently applauded the girl's tactics. Apparently, some things of her training did stick with her. She obviously had learnt long ago that Sesshomaru appreciated reason and logic and if she did not break down and babble like a fool, he would be more apt to listen to her, more prone to see her view point. Although, Rin had no doubt that her perspective prevailed in the past was due more to _his_ decision rather than her ability to sway his thoughts. Lord Sesshomaru was as immovable as Mount Fujii.

"But my kind has the advantage of time, of which _your_ kind sorely lacks." The golden eyes narrowed although his answer was in a composed manner.

This was getting nowhere. They had struggled over this discussion and had always come to an impasse. Rin must be made to see that she had to go and judging by the obstinate chin, he had a long haul in front of him. _Hell_. Was he not Lord of the Western Lands? His words were law. Irrefutable. Final.

"I only want to be with you forever and however long I am allotted, then so be it." She gave him a trace of a tremulous smile.

"I cannot give you what you need." He launched the words at her bluntly, spoken out loud for the first time rather than obscuring it behind a cloud of thought. "I have also intended to procure my heir."

Sesshomaru had gone for the jugular. He knew this was _her_ weak point. He knew her pride would not allow her to stand by while he selected a mate. He had taught her well. Her self-respect and pride would not allow for being second-best to anything or anyone.

Sesshomaru knew this had hurt her since he felt some strange constrictions around his heart as well. But another more sounded argument would be hard to materialize. To throw the thought of his unknown future mate at his ward was unforgivable but he hoped that it would sever the invisible cords that had knitted them together so unrelentingly. Their ties must be cut quickly. She could not afford to wait any longer; he had already wasted too much of her time.

Was this something that would break the girl's spirit? Was this his trump card?

He saw her flinched at the directness of his words and his claws reacted instantly to her distress and the muscle around his lips tightened. _Good, maybe she would realize that there is nothing here for her to continue this way_. Sesshomaru savagely thought while ruthlessly quelling the emotions that roiled within him.

The words hung heavy in the air and stayed between them like a barrier that Rin could not get through.

"Lord Sesshomaru. You mean to m..mm..marry?" Whatever vestige of color remaining on the girl's cheeks had disappeared. Thin face paled considerably, Rin rose up from her bench, dispersing the cherry blossoms she had absently gathered in her lap, feeling slightly nauseous due to her hasty action. It had never occurred to her that her lord might desire this. He had not shown a spark of interest in any permanent female attachment and she just assumed that his mind was on greater matters. Of course, her female instincts had told her that he was never a celibate. Her lord was a virile creature despite his extreme fastidiousness and discretion. However, she did not realize that he would contemplate marriage. But of course, he must. He was the Lord of the Western lands; he needed an heir to ensure the continuation of his bloodline.

Keen golden eyes observed her loss of pallor and noted the swaying of the slight frame in front of him but he ruthlessly quelled the urge to rush to her side. The desire to wrap his arm around her, burying his face in her neck and ask for her forgiveness for his deceit was almost overwhelming. But gritting his fangs together, Sesshomaru forged on.

"Of course. As you put it. Even I have desires to leave my father's legacy in good hands." He used almost the same words as she had done.

"Is it just a legacy….B..but what about love?" She whispered, bloodless lips trembling while small teeth trying to capture and hold them still. The breeze lifted her hair slightly and she shivered while trying to gather her hair together onto her left shoulder.

"Love? What is love?" Sesshomaru all but spat out the words, his features tightened coldly. "Love has never gotten us anywhere. My foolish father died for love and never realized the greatness of his reign. I have no time for such ridiculousness. My bloodline will be untainted, pure and my heirs will continue to rule with supremacy."

Sesshomaru turned away from her to face the moon in the darkened sky. "My heirs will be the bravest, the strongest Inuyoukai this line has ever known. I am assured of it." He managed a slight chuckle, confidence evident in the quiet strength of his shoulders as he shrugged almost nonchalantly.

Rin had glided up next to him and a small hand reached out and rested it lightly on the soft silk covering his lean chest. His heart unexpectedly leapt at her touch.

"What are you doing?" Sesshomaru's dark brows winged up to meet at his forehead in a frown although his voice did not change.

"My lord, do you not feel anything for me? Not even a bit of affection? Do you despise me that much that I am only now the worst kind of thorn at your side?" She smiled, soft lips gently quivering, her eyes focused on him.

She knew that he felt something for her otherwise Sesshomaru would not have let her stay with him throughout all these years, she had surmised. Average intelligence would have made that conclusion obvious. And Rin was a sharp girl. But what that something _was_, she had no idea.

Was it curiosity, was it affection?

The girl was certainly unsure of her lord and whatever he felt for her. That was a bridge that they had never crossed discussing his feelings.

He certainly _had_ done well concealing the strength of his feelings for this human girl.

_But what a hollow victory. _

Without changing his expression or stance, Sesshomaru watched her lean closer as she stood on her tip toes to reach up and grazed his lips softly.

He should have moved, should have resisted and pulled away. He was much older, wiser and possessed better control but the draw of her scent and her boldness had tugged at him and groans, too low for her human ears to detect, rumbled through his frame.

The great Taiyoukai had learned to seek her light touch so early on in their acquaintance. He even learned to crave it and definitely found the day long without at least one contact, although he never revealed that indulgence to another soul. Never did a reprimand or rejection pass his lips at her invasion of his personal space. It profoundly confused Jaken to see this deviation from the normally distant, cold demon. For not even Jaken was allowed that privilege. The toad would surely have suffered a most painful death for his audacity. Yet, this upstart…this… human girl had thought nothing of sullying the elegant youkai with her often grubby hands and smudged face in her enthusiasm of him. She seemed to bloom like flower turning toward the sun whenever he was near.

Yet, those contacts of a much younger Rin were affectionate. They were not the lingering, restless kind of now and certainly not demanding an ardent response from him.

He looked down at her raised face illuminated by the moonbeams and saw the soft trembling lips and the guileless eyes fringed by thick lashes gazing at him, her heart beating furiously as she wondered at his reaction to her boldness.

And he did the unforgivable and made the biggest mistake of his life.

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(A/N: I guess I could stop here ….but then…I owe you guys this much to continue wink wink…. So let it continue)

He yielded to her silent call and even leaned down more than half way to meet her, long fingers gently wrapped at the base of her skull and tangled in the inky dark hair as he pulled her head closer.

Tentatively, his lips brushed hers, soft as a butterfly's wings, trailing soft caresses along the seams of her mouth. He could feel her body tensed in anticipation at his touch; her other hand fluttering at the opening of his haori before slipping inside his kimono to seek the warmth from his skin. Inhaling deeply, Sesshomaru breathed her breath as his mouth settled more firmly on hers.

Sesshomaru realized that Rin had been sheltered in her years with him and he was sensitive to that inexperience. In deference to her, he held himself in check but deep down, all he wanted to do was make her open her mouth wider and really taste her. Tentative fingers were moving up and lightly stroking the sinewy cords of his throat. Following closely behind those fingers were soft lips trailing open-mouthed kisses along the column of his neck. The delicate warmth of her breath on his skin was exquisite and his body reacted instantly and involuntarily to her nearness. Sesshomaru shuddered inwardly as he felt a tentative tongue exploring the whorl of one pointed ear and his hand moved to wrap around her waist and pressed her body more firmly against his.

Sesshomaru rumbled deeply, totally captivated by the girl. Years of emotional discipline, years of perfect control and yet it took only one innocent girl to blow that restraint to smithereens.

He felt her stopped in her exploration of his face. The girl pulled her head back slightly and looked at him wonderingly. The rise and fall of her chest signaled her untutored passion for the lord in her grasp. His eyes shot wide open and liquid gold blazed down at the girl's uncertainty in how to proceed. Little did she know how innocently provocative she looked to dog lord with kissed-swollen lips, bright eyes and fluttering hands. Startled, her hands fell away from him and she took an involuntary step backwards unable to withstand the heat emanating from that intense gaze. He could feel the heat rising at the back of his eyes at the door she just inadvertently opened.

With an impatient growl, he closed the gap between them and sliding his hand under her legs, Sesshomaru quickly swept her off her feet and carried her back to the bench while ignoring her indrawn breath. He sat down amidst the soft cushions strewn about enjoying the innocent way her lips eagerly nuzzled his jaw line. With her still in his lap, his hand had meandered down to caress the soft skin of the slender throat and the pointed, determined chin. With claws carefully sheathed, the lean fingers continued downward and nudged aside the opening of her kimono exposing the sweet swell of firm young breasts and a small gasp emitted from her. He boldly stroked the soft skin, immensely reveling in the texture and warmth of her skin.

Sesshomaru watched her eyes closed as she savored the heat of his hand and when a small pink tongue snake out to nervously wet her dry lips, he groaned quietly and swooped down to her face. This time the kiss was more demanding, more adult, and he was no longer hesitant as he greedily sought her mouth.

Angling his mouth over hers, his tongue stroked her small pearly teeth demanding entrance. Rin obeyed the unspoken command and opened her mouth eager to please him and he swallowed the mewling sound she made at the intimate invasion.

Like honey. She tasted like honey.

That tongue swept inside anxious for the sweetness of Rin. He stroked her, letting her get used to him. Gradually, she replied in kind, more from instinct and was rewarded by a deep purr from the lord. The sharp claws, carefully shielding the razors to not injure, cupped and caressed one young breast now fully exposed due to his handiwork. Finger and thumb rolling the taut center until it pebbled in response to his caress. Rin shuddered delicately at the sensation and arched closer, unconsciously inviting Sesshomaru to further unravel the kimono and trace his lips from her mouth down to her breast where he paid them further homage. He had known she had grown in grace and beauty and now it was confirmed as he slowly unraveled all that cumbersome clothing. Sesshomaru could feel his thoughts scattering to the four winds and a red tide of passion swirled across his vision; he was profoundly glad that he was the one to see her glory.

Obeying to his inner need to reveal her more fully to him, the demon lord laid the girl gently down on the bench and urgently tugged at the obi holding her kimono together. Unblemished, milky white skin greeted his eyes making him growl his appreciation. Sesshomaru eagerly applied himself once more to the treasure laid bare before him. Hand and mouth worshipped her, from her glorious crown of hair to the tender skin of her underbelly. He loved that odd birthmark that graced the area of her right groin, one forefinger eagerly traced the heart-shaped strawberry.

Sesshomaru felt her body jerked involuntarily as she quivered beneath the strong lips devouring her warmth. His industrious hand paving the way for lips to faithfully follow as he lost all thoughts and coherence in the indentation of her flat stomach, inhaling the spicy scent of her aroused state and feeling himself hardened helplessly in response to her body.

Tangling her fingers through the fine silk of his silvery hair, the girl's voice reached him, fitfully begging for she knew not what exactly it was that she was asking for, compelled and mesmerized by the magic created by her lord's mouth and hand. "Ahhh….L..l.lord Sesshomaru, Pl-lease …ppleaase…" The throaty entreaty came low and vibrated like a fine instrument waiting for its master's touch to come alive.

Sesshomaru heard the groans from Rin and it was like cold water doused over him. Lifting his head, he saw the young girl writhing, her body racked with pleasure and waiting for him to complete her. He saw the red lips swollen from his kisses and tiny nips sprinkled throughout her body from where he had tasted and licked his fill of her.

He levered himself up from her slight body, sanity coldly returning.

_What in hell was he thinking?_ He was about to make love to this girl although she was supposed to leave him. Filled with unusual self-loathing for being weak and almost succumbing to his baser instincts, Sesshomaru's features tightened as he moved away from the perfumed skin beneath him. He could not dishonor her, making it difficult for her to garner marriageable prospects.

The cool air drifted in between the gap of their bodies when Sesshomaru pulled away and their separation slowly sunk into Rin's consciousness. She shivered and opened her eyes, wondering why he had stopped. Surely Sesshomaru-sama had not changed his mind?

What she saw in his eyes put paid to their encounter. She could see the feral red disappeared and the golden gaze gleamed in the dark once again. The aloof demeanor had returned and the normal unreadable mask slipped back over his features, banishing the heat that encompassed them both only moments earlier. However, the girl was unable to detect the hard flush that still settled on the high cheekbones or the fine tremors running through his body at the iron control he had exerted on himself.

"Rin."

The quiet voice was like a death knell to her ears, although it was still slightly gritty around the edge as Sesshomaru attempted to regain full composure. Whatever that had possessed the dog demon, that had him caught up in the passionate embrace had apparently deserted him, and in its place was the formal, regal lord once again. She wasn't to know that by the merest of thread did Sesshomaru pull back from the edge of the pure need that threatened to consume him, commanding him to take her regardless of her wants.

But he could not do that to her.

Singular exposure to life with demons and specifically him left her with too narrow a choice of whom she could love. She had never experienced the love nor kinship her fellow humankind could provide if given the opportunity. She probably did not realize the ultimate cost of this consummation and he did not want her to regret that she had given herself away so hastily.

So he must be the stronger one and not take advantage of the situation; knew he could not let her infatuation get the better of them by marring her innocence. In the narrowness of human prejudices, there would probably be humans who would probably condemn her for consorting with demons. She should not have that burden to bear of being "used" goods. Rin was to leave him as untainted as when she found him. There were to be no need for slander, for condemnation poured over her head. That was not an option that he would have allowed.

Quietly and sternly, the infamous iron control re-asserted itself and the veil of indifference draped over his face once more. Sesshomaru reached out and gathered close the gap of her kimono, hiding the lovely view behind the curtain of silk. He dared not let his hand linger too long on their softness lest he had forgotten his vow. Pushing himself off away from the girl to straighten his own clothing to some semblance of order was harder than it should have been since his body was still thrumming and demanding satisfaction. Sesshomaru was inwardly surprised to see his haori had been pushed back past his elbows indicating that Rin had been busy with her own exploration as well.

With an air of finality, he said after a slightly awkward silence. "This can not be."

With those short words, he watched Rin's world shattered around her. Her heart broke in millions of pieces. Rin had not yet able to distinguish the difference between love and lust. Had Sesshomaru only lusted after her, then he would not have stopped until he reached his goal to satisfy himself. But when he drew away from her, Rin had erroneously thought that she was not sufficient to hold his interests. Not beautiful, not clever enough for the high lord. It was apparent since his passion turned to cold reason so easily and so quickly. She wondered fleetingly if any female had that privilege to enthrall him completely that there was nothing else in his mind.

Evidently, she was not able to hold his interest.

_She was so wrong_. Sesshomaru had thought as he witnessed and correctly gauged every single emotion that flitted across that expressive face but held his tongue and tightened his features into a more formidable mask.

"Gomen nasai. I..it was my fault. Lord Sesshomaru." She mumbled under her breath, her face flamed with remembered shame and with hurt of love rejected.

"I will not disgrace the honorable name of this family." Sesshomaru drove the final nail to the coffin with these words and he had hurt when he saw her flinched away from him.

Rin cut in quickly, trying to stem his words. Her tears viciously clamped down and held at bay. "Of course, my lord. I am truly sorry to try and sway your mind. It will be as you wish." Rin acknowledged her defeat with the slight bowing of her head in his direction though her shoulders straightened and squared as though in defiance. This was something that escaped Sesshomaru's attention at the time. It was not until later that this action of hers did come back to haunt him for his inattentiveness.

Sesshomaru should have known that it was too easy, her acquiescence. But at the time, he was just merely glad it was an argument finally in his favor.

"Please, my lord. I am tired." She tilted her face to the moon above her and avoided the piercing golden eyes. "Perhaps we can finish this conversation and whatever details you wish for me to do in the morning."

"You may go." He acknowledged quickly all too eager to pack her off so that they could delay the inevitable confrontation until morning. They could both sleep off this ordeal and tomorrow the idea would not seem so bad in the brightness of day. They could proceed and make this as painless as possible for all around. He knew of several villages that would be ideal for Rin. But how the hell was he going to be able to rest this night was beyond even his comprehension.

He nodded his head in dismissal and watched Rin slightly bowed and backed away from his presence. She was not surprised to see her lord become once again an austere, taciturn creature that he normally was.

As he watched the girl's silhouette melted into the darkened hallway soundlessly retreating to her chambers, Sesshomaru could not shake off a sense of foreboding, of an uneasy feeling that something terribly wrong would happen.

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_How did this happen?_ Sesshomaru seethed, feeling his jaw clenched tightly when the discovery was made. Someone must have noticed any unusual antics his ward must have portrayed.

He had returned late in the night from patrolling his land three weeks after the incident in the moonlight and had ordered the servants not to disturb Rin. It was nonsense for her to be dragged from her warm bed just to greet him in the dead of night. But he did miss seeing her face. In the past, when he returned home from a mission, Rin was always the first to greet him as he stepped through the threshold. She'd flung herself at him, wrapping her thin arms around his waist and proceeded to hug him tightly mindless of the deadly spikes of his armor. As she grew older, she learned more self-control in the presence of the servants but when they were alone once again, she would approach him in the same manner of a young child, exuberance shining through because her lord had returned to her safely. She knew he was almost invincible but always worried nonetheless for his safety in one of those battles defending his lands and his sovereignty.

Despite his refusal to have the girl wakened, the golden eyes were still riveted to the door half hoping that she would glide through it to welcome him home. But of course, he had almost forgotten about his plan of dispatching her to a human settlement. Rin might have felt not ready again for a confrontation with her lord since that last time they had met. Sighing to himself, tomorrow was another day. It could wait. Strange that her scent, though present, was faint to his nostrils. But he did not give it a second thought since Jaken came running noisily down the hall to ensure Sesshomaru-sama was settling down after his long absence from home.

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He, as usual, was the first to rise in his household. His first inkling of something not quite right in his surroundings. The air was crisp and cool in the early morning. His instinct immediately flared to life, warning him that something was critically amiss. His pulse increased in rhythm. Something did _not_ feel right and it had something to do Rin. The Taiyoukai did not even wait for Jaken's usual appearance with his morning tea and bath routine.

Wrapped in his night robe over his yukata, Sesshomaru slid open the shoji screen and made his way noiselessly down the wide corridor.

It was not long before his footsteps slowed down outside of _her_ door.

Where was she?

Canine nose instinctively and automatically sought her presence. This was a habit he guiltily indulged since she became a member of his troupe. Her scent was not evident in any corner of his castle. Normally, he would pick up on the soft humming emitted by the girl and could smell the exquisite floral scent wafting in the air thanks to his extra sensitive olfactory capabilities. But this morning, there was none of it and it had unnerved him.

Heavy incense wafted in the air and sounds of the normal hubbub of activities were evident in the kitchen area signaling the start of the new day.

Sesshomaru quietly opened it without knocking, hoping against hope that she was somehow lying in bed. His belief that something was wrong strengthened as he glanced around the room. Everything was as orderly as it should be. Rin would not cause extra work for anyone even as she was gathering stuff to beat a hasty exit from his land and it become more and more apparent that was what had happened. The bed was not slept in as he had surmised. He went to the screen of her closet and noticed that most of her glamorous court clothing was left behind. A soft grunt escaped his throat when he noticed her katana was missing from its normal place on the dressing table. At least, that will afford her some measure of protection before he could find her.

It was then that he noticed something soft from the corner of his eyes.

Her beautiful, black hair lay scattered on the ground. What was once adorning her from head to waist, now lay in shorn locks. From what he surmised of the cut tresses, her hair would probably be only neck length now. He bent down, gathered a handful of the silken tresses and gripped them tightly.

Was this symbolic of her declaration of independence from him? Did she deliberately remove herself before she could suffer the pain and humiliation of being taken away in front of all the creatures she held dear? He wondered rather belatedly at her perspective and found he did not like himself very much at that moment either. She had never been under any obligations to him. He never demanded anything of her; he raised her strictly in the belief that she owed no one anything not even to himself. Yet, for her to leave without so much as a word to anyone, it left him feeling bereft.

"Jaken". Sesshomaru growled.

The toad servant materialized in front of Rin's door and gawked at the sight of his master clutching a handful of Rin's raven locks.

Did his lord finally get rid of the nuisance? He was gleeful.

"Lord Sesshomaru. " Jaken's happiness was blatant. "How did you manage to dispose of the brat?" Bulbous yellow eyes wondered.

_Thwack ! Thwack!_

Two large lumps appeared on the toad's head and he found himself staring in icy, glaringly cold amber eyes. He was picked up by the scruff of his haori and was gazing into the angry, yellow slits. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes and spoke bitingly.

"Go and prepare Ah-Un. We leave immediately." The dog lord barked out his command to Jaken. He had never seen his lord looking completely disheveled and aimless until now.

With that brief explanation, Sesshomaru turned on his heels and left her room.

Back in his chambers, Sesshomaru marched straight to the small, plain looking box sitting in a small corner of his massive writing desk. Sesshomaru unlocked the box and within the secret confine of the box, was where he held _his_ treasures. A piece of wrinkled paper portraying Rin's rendition of her art depicting herself, Jaken and him. Stick people drawing but it was lovingly done by her and lovingly given to him. Jaken had scoffed at her drawing but Sesshomaru remembered he had surreptitiously kept the paper inside his haori's wide sleeve until he was able to squirrel it away inside the box. A small dried up wreath of flowers that she had picked and pressed. Now to this small trove, he deposited the fallen locks of her hair.

_I will find you, Rin_. His face lost its soft look and a grim mantle of determination slipped into place as he prepared to go on _his_ treasure hunt.

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Six long months later and still no sign of her. Damn it!

Surveying his lands from the walls inside of the castle, Sesshomaru grimaces as his eyes traversed the endless horizon spread out in front of him.

_FOOL!_

His mind roared. He had to stop this nonsensical moping.

Rin had deigned it necessary to leave him without a word, without any explanations, without telling him where she had disappeared to. She obviously did not want to be found by him. But he could not blame her given the way they had parted on that fateful night. And he knew Rin to be a stubborn and spirited creature. He would not have put it past her to have disappeared for his sake. He was adamant about taking her to a local human village as part of her re-integration into human society. Apparently, he had succeeded without lifting a single claw. But now he felt the emptiness of the large house, of servants mewling about looking lost and saddened at the lack of warmth and vitality.

Tried as he might, Sesshomaru could not even trace a faint scent of hers.

Damn her. He had found remnants of the soaps she had used to disguise her scent and his quick mind jumped to the right conclusion. Obviously, she had been trained only too well and she had always been an apt and willing pupil under his tutelage.

Sesshomaru groaned at the thought. Unbidden, images flashed before his eyes. Soft lips and eager hands innocently exploring him and the way they made him shiver in sheer delight. Those silky lips trembling his name when he began to respond to her touch. Those gentle eyes lit with adoration for him as he hovered over her and the strong scent of her arousal had almost made him lose his composure and claim her as his own.

Ironically, she had used the very skills he taught her against him to disguise her tracks. She did not wish to be found; it was obvious even to Jaken. But Sesshomaru could not let go. He'd lain awake at nights wondering about her welfare and angry that she could have left him without a trace.

"Rin. " Sesshomaru smelled blood and was surprised to see blood seeping from his palm where his fingers had dug deep into his palm and drew blood. He released his hold and his breath, feeling his anger gave way but the concern remained.

He must find her. If only to assure himself that she was safe from harm.

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He had risen from the bed swiftly and before long had started the search for his missing human girl. And each minute that passed without retrieving her, he grew a little more frantic knowing full well the dangers surrounding a helpless woman. Sesshomaru traveled far and wide but to no avail. Rin just seemed to disappear off the face of the earth.

The minutes became days. Days became weeks, then months. But Sesshomaru never gave up. He acted completely and instinctively where she was concerned. Innately, he would have known somehow had Rin been in mortal danger but his blood told him that she was safe yet was not seen by him and that gave him some small measure of peace. But satisfaction will not be achieved until she was in his protection again.

Why? Why did she leave him? Did he go too far trying to hide his feelings for her?

_Rin. Where are you?_ Sesshomaru silently sighed in the stillness of yet another worthless night without her.

TBC

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(A/N: Hope that pleases you. Sorry for another long chapter. I loved this chapter since it focused on his thoughts even though it was chewing my hiney writing it. I've been staring at it for the last 3 months and it's time to let it go…..

Please review and let me know if you like or don't like but please make it constructive. LOL).

Later, folks.…..

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	7. Chapter 7

**RETURN MY LOVE**

Disclaimer: Do not own Inuyasha….There, are ya happy?

_**CHAPTER 7: TRIGGER**_

Ever since that confrontation with Sesshoumaru, Rin was left floundering as to how the demon lord knew of the birthmark on her body. No one knew, not even Inuyasha, the half-demon with whom she pledged to spend the rest of her life.

She had never even remembered being kissed until after she met Inuyasha. Yet now, this lord had painted images in her brain of events, perhaps deviant, that happened between the two of them with his incredible and intimate suggestions.

She could not face him for every time she saw silvery hair heading her way, she became a blabbering, blushing idiot. Thus, she had painstakingly and studiously avoided the master of the Western lands at every possible turn. With his inhuman speed and highly developed senses, she knew he could have made it impossible for her to stall him indefinitely. But whatever that was driving the demon lord, she could only be grateful for his unwonted generosity to spare her feelings just a while longer. Whenever he neared, she would bow formally before turning tail and retreating from his presence, forever grateful that he had spared her the ignominy of facing him even as she _felt_ his growing exasperation. Rin had never been a good liar and she knew she would eventually have to acknowledge the birthmark… but just not yet….she knew it was ill-mannered of her to do so but she was not ready…

_Such a coward. _

Rin could not fathom how she could have been linked to this most ruthless of demons. Yet, he _felt_ so familiar despite being a total stranger to her. He felt right like a breeze caressing through her hair, like the freshly scented air after a rain shower, like basking in the warmth of the sun.

Rin had initially attributed that familiarity to his shared bloodline with Inuyasha but now she was not so certain. There was a strange intimacy about his presence and the air around them prickled with a tension so subtle that even Inuyasha had not been able to detect but _she _did. It was more like a frisson of awareness, a deep recognition that had her shuddering delicately as she thought back to that night in the forest when those golden eyes had intently bore down on her despite the icy disdain the lord had displayed.

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As for Sesshomaru, he knew from her betraying scents and erratic heartbeats that she was greatly disturbed at how a _stranger_ knew about her mark so intimately.

Feh! He would have known_ her_ any where even if he had been blindfolded and immersed in total darkness.

He could feel turmoil radiating off her in waves although the girl tried hard to hide it from him. Or at least in the far and few in between times that he actually had seen her. Sesshoumaru realized that she was avoiding him and for this brief respite, he was willing to allow it.

_It did not mean that he liked it. _

Far from it. But he knew far too well what happened to prey when they were pressed without an escape route. He could afford to give her that breathing space.

Having her _safe_ within his senses was as natural as breathing to him. By avoiding him, she was depriving him of those things he considered essential to _his_ well-being. He was not a creature of patience despite an unshakeable exterior. Problems he encountered were simply resolved; obstacles quickly removed. He did not believe in letting issues languish indefinitely. Her forestalling from this truth would not change the inevitable. She had yet to realize that she belonged to no one else but him.

Sesshoumaru could not help but smirked to himself as his thought turned to the hanyou. Apparently, not even Inuyasha was aware of Rin's birthmark.

_Good._ That fact alone virtually saved Inuyasha, had he but known it, from suffering the most agonizing torture Sesshoumaru could ever have inflicted upon his prey.

Sesshoumaru's jaw tightened imperceptibly at this disconcerting thought of Rin being touched by another male, much less that stupid relation of his. The lord's feelings for her were so fierce that the very idea of her being intimate with someone else dragged a red tide of rage across his vision blinding him in its intensity.

Obviously, Rin and Inuyasha had not advanced to that stage of heavy petting yet. Sesshomaru could still scent her purity and he was immensely relieved. He wanted that right to be her first and only lover. He wanted to teach her the physical pleasure of his love. No doubt that he would claim her in the finality of it all. There was really no other alternative, viable or otherwise, to this relationship. After all, he had had two long years to acknowledge her importance and endure the physical alienation of her from his life. Those long days and the even longer nights didn't bear thinking when his restlessness desired her closeness. He would gladly have traded his immortality just for word of her whereabouts while regretting the waste of those two years caused by his damnable pride. Yet now, fates had handed him a second chance and he vowed he would guard it with his hand.

So he was content for now to let her dodge him but that didn't mean that he was not always aware of her presence inside or outside of his home. Being human, she was not to know of his ever nearby presence. Like a hawk, Sesshoumaru kept a watchful eye over his precious prey.

Damn it; he had turned into a veritable stalker ….because he was …. afraid.

_Afraid of her leaving him again._

He would not put it past her to try and leave for safer grounds, namely to Inuyasha. He could feel her desire to escape his presence but that could not be tolerated until she had come to her senses and remembered him again. His only saving grace during this waiting was that he did not sense her fear of him as someone who she thought would physically harm her. Rin seemed more agitated by what he could reveal about her…about them…

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Rin's mental and physical strength flourished under the watchfulness of the taciturn lord. His servants saw to her every need even before she had spoken and that fact did not escape her attention. As her headaches became less frequent, she became more set in eluding those golden irises. Although she was successful in avoiding him, she felt in her bones that he was covertly watching her every move. A part of her was curious as to how this predator would strike once it grew tired of watching. Or perhaps maybe he was just going to leave things alone. So far, he had been willing to leave her to her own devices, but was that because he was dropping the subject or was he biding his time? Despite it all, Rin felt a tug of irrepressible excitement as she waited for his next move. It unnerved her but it was _not_ stemmed from fear. The lord's demeanor and mannerisms evoked something profound inside of her. But just when she thought she would grasp the meaning in her mind, the memory flitted away to leave her sighing in frustration. To what great lengths did a mind protect itself?

Strangely, _knowing_ that she was being so closely observed by this creature didn't intimidate her. Rather, she recalled a corresponding sensation of being nurtured, being cared for, being indulged. But her caretaker's face remained determinedly blank.

Even if she did allow herself to contemplate the farfetched possibility of the demon lord as her previous protector, she wondered if that was how her mind had subconsciously latched onto Inuyasha so quickly when he first appeared on the scene.

Was this why she became so attracted to Inuyasha so immediately?

The white hair, the sharp claws and the golden eyes were all similar attributes possessed by the half demon, but on Lord Sesshoumaru, they elicited an even deadlier, more beautiful emphasis.

She could only suppose that whatever history she and the lord had with each other, it must not have been too pleasant, otherwise, why did she leave him and fend for herself?

Somehow, Rin instinctively knew of the great emotional risks to pursue that train of thought. Inuyasha seemed a much safer option she liked…no …_loved_… him. She knew exactly where she stood with the hanyou. No unexpected twists that could break her heart into a thousand fragments.

Was this all that she could expect to find if she pursue this link Sesshoumaru had offered as a price in regaining her memory?

Rather than raking over any possible dead ashes, Rin wanted to rejoin Inuyasha. After all, she had never acknowledged to Lord Sesshoumaru that he was correct in the placement of her birthmark. In ignoring his questions, maybe he would eventually realize that she was not the girl he sought.

_Oh, the sin of omission._

Yes, that will be her game plan. She would continue to have minimal contact with the master of this land. And since she had regained most of her physical strength, she would announce her intentions to rejoin his half-brother. Surely, he would be severely glad of the proffered excuse to rid his home of unwanted human stench.

But facing down the inimitable lord was easier said than done, Rin sought to prepare mentally. Her feet wandered quite a distance from the courtyard and she didn't notice that she was now in a remote corner of the castle. Looking around, she found gorgeous flowers bedecking the ground. The untamed wildness of these flowers called to her, delighting her senses and temporarily lifting her somber mood. The girl spread her arms and twirled her body basking in the golden sunlight as she inhaled the fragrant air.

How she had missed this freedom, the feel of a soft breeze gliding and teasing her hair. She slowed to a complete stop, raised her face in homage to the sun as she soaked in the peaceful yet wild beauty of her surrounding for the first time in many days.

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_Beautiful. _

_She looked perfectly at home on his grounds with her hair tousled by the wind and her slender body caressed by the sun. Of course, she belonged here. _

_His dominion was just waiting for its mistress to return and enliven this place again._

Hawkish, golden eyes gazed admiringly at the still figure up some distance away from him. Concern for her had led the lord in quiet pursuit when he scented her further away from where he was.

Sesshoumaru deliberately scrunched some dried leaves and twigs under his black-booted feet just to provide the girl ample warning of his approach. He saw her eyes widened open at the sound of footsteps and saw her inaudibly sighed as her gaze fell upon him.

"Rin." He inclined his head in her direction and paused in his steps.

"My lord." She greeted him formally, sinking into a deep curtsy; thick lashes lowered shielding her thoughts from the penetrating gaze. Yet, she was startlingly conscious of the beautiful creature before her. Regally clothed as always, but it was not his clothes that mesmerized her. She was drawn to the hidden tensile strength that spoke of power beneath the silken layers and the lean, angular features that spoke of pride. The lord's civilized, icy front only made Rin more aware of the untamed, primeval force that was so carefully leashed.

It was the first time in days that they were in contact with each other and Sesshoumaru could feel Rin's apprehension rising to the front.

"My servants have prepared a meal for you." He walked gracefully to her and held out his palm. "To regain your strength." He eyed her form critically, the smooth forehead slightly marred in a frown. He was displeased at the thinness of the girl. Rin had always been a slender girl but the recent affliction apparently had left her room for a weight gain.

"M..mmyy lord, please express my gratitude to your servants. I do not want to trouble them." Rin stammered her thanks as she reached out to take the small basket from his grasp, enticed by the delicious aroma wafting from it.

She was surprised that the command must have come from the great lord himself for she could not see his servants initiating anything on her behalf. He ruled his lands with an iron claw, that much Rin had no doubt.

Nevertheless, she opened up the basket and the brown eyes lit up at the delicacies contained inside. The meal was thoughtfully prepared and was loaded with sumptuous fares, more of her "favorites".

Sesshomaru hid his amusement behind the cool, grave eyes as he watched every emotion flitted across the pale features. This _was_ his Rin, that he had no doubt. He went forward and spread a light blanket on the ground and proceeded to situate himself on it.

The action threw Rin for a loop since she was distracted away from surveying the food. Surely he did not mean to want to share the meal with her or worst, spend time with her while she was eating?

Sesshomaru raised a sardonic eyebrow willing her to voice the offer, albeit reluctantly.

"Ummmhh," she began flushing to the roots of her dark hair feeling foolish and ungracious to have been reminded of her manners. The least she could do was to ask him. "Please, join me if you like." Rin rushed quickly through the words before she could change her mind and retract the invitation while proceeding to lay out the spread and pouring tea.

"Human fare is not my usual." His voice mocked her gently while nodding his permission to allow her to begin her meal.

Rin daintily popped a morsel of food into her mouth and closed her eyes savoring the exquisite burst of flavors that exploded on her tongue.

"Of what are you thinking?" His voice unexpectedly asked her, gently as if he was afraid of destroying their tenuous peace. The handsome face riveted on her face though the eyes were totally inscrutable.

Rin's eyes drifted open and she gave him a clear-eyed look. "That heaven is found in this delicious meal."

Sesshomaru, caught by surprise, chuckled aloud.

This girl of his lived so deeply, so lovingly. The few years slotted to her were much more meaningful than the hundreds of years that some demons were granted.

"Your simple enjoyment of life is boundless." He watched, fascinated as her blush deepened. Sensing the heat rising up in her body, Sesshoumaru quickly suppressed a wicked thought of the entertainment value and his immense pleasure to test his theory of her all-over body blush.

"Where do you call home?" Sesshomaru casually leaned back against the trunk of a nearby tree and stared into the distance to give the girl some time to recompose herself, oblivious to her puzzled expression that he wanted to make small talk with her. He could feel her relaxing her guarded posture with him since the lord had failed to bring up again that excruciatingly personal topic of several days ago.

His casual question brought evident relief and the girl's delicate features showed it.

Rin was actually glad to hear his question. She considered it carefully, not that she thought he had an ulterior motive in asking but that she truly did not know how to answer.

"I am not sure, my lord." She admitted deciding honesty had always been the best policy to follow as her eyes moved away from him to peer sightlessly at the horizon. "I just remember that I've been wandering around for the longest time before I fell into a trap laid by some demons. I met Inuyasha that day. He saved my life." Her voice dropped to a mere whisper, thinking about that near-death encounter.

Sesshoumaru sensed the alarm in her voice and his shoulder stiffened, angry that Rin once again had to feel fear. "You have no idea of your roots, your family?" The anger thickened his voice and it made Rin swivel her eyes back to the regal figure leaning against the tree curious about the inflection in his tone. Although the lord's posture was deceptively relaxed, Rin felt a keen watchfulness about him, a tension that was barely concealed as though he could not help himself.

"I had visited a local village and their faith healer informed me that my memory loss was due to a blow near my temple." A gamin grin spread across her face while she patted her head gently. Her expression earnest as she forgot momentarily his question on her identity. "As time goes, familiar sights and scenes should trigger my memory paths to re-knit the way. That is why I am on my journey. There is bound to be some landmarks or even people who may be able to help me piece things together."

"And have you found…someone or something to help you remember?" Sesshomaru turned his face away again yet this time, the wariness in his voice was evident as he waited for her answer. There was a stillness to the air surrounding the lord as though he was holding his breath.

He heard her sigh silently and saw the shoulders drooped dejectedly although she avoided looking at him as she, too, turned her face in the opposite direction.

"No, but I do have flashes of memories, although they are still vague." She looked around her, determined to be positive. "I love the vivid colors of flowers and their scents." Her voice paused as though the next words came unbidden. "The gardens here are really beautiful. The colors were exactly like how I would envision them."

Sesshoumaru exhaled silently, aware of a tingling ache in the region of his chest as he allowed her to steer their conversation to safer grounds. Of course, Sesshoumaru did not inform her that the colors and hues _were_ planned by her had she but known it. However, he wisely steered clear of pursuing that thought aloud. This was not the time to press her into that memory when it was apparent that she wanted nothing to do with him. It was ironic as he realized the missing memory seemed to revolve around her time spent with him.

Sesshoumaru's gentle interrogation was starting to somewhat help him piece together her time away from him. Thus he did not deny her attempt to drift to their talk to more general topics. Apparently, this allowed her to relax her guard and spoke more freely of her past, whatever parts that she recalled. At the end of the meal, Rin somehow got the feeling that she had just been thoroughly and skillfully vetted for information about herself. She did not realize how long they had taken since the sun had moved behind some clouds. His servants could be heard bustling about lighting up candle sconces that lined the outside garden area and the inside of the castle. This was one of the few times they actually had a lengthy discussion of any sorts. Usually, duty would keep the demon lord locked away and Rin was happy to be eating with the servants in the warmth of the kitchen. They were actually very cordial and pleasant to the human girl. Little did she know that they knew her and had hoped that she would come to recognize them but not a glimmer showed in her eyes other than guarded friendliness. Moreover, they have been warned by the master not to interfere with Rin's recovery. He had his own scheme to follow.

Rin was also starting to feel tired, after all, she spent the bulk of the time trying to recollect her missing blanks. Another quick smile flashed across the delicate features and she apologized as she quickly smothered a small yawn behind the long sleeves of her kimono.

_That _smile of hers always twisted his insides around like jelly. He had never learned to immunize himself against that unquenchable joy lighting up her small face. It was lit from deep within the girl and nothing could douse that spirit.

Before he found himself grinning back at her like a lovesick fool, Sesshoumaru schooled his features into blandness. "Return to the castle. It is time for you to rest now." He motioned to the ground. "I will be right here."

"But oh, Lord Sesshoumaru," she protested, "it is such a wonderful day and I would love to enjoy the sun for just a while longer." Her lovely face earnest in its plea. "I will be safe. We are, after all, in the grounds of the castle." She threw a quick grin at him hoping that selling point would clinch the argument for her. She wanted to bask in the outdoor and breathe in the wonderful scent of flowers before having to return indoors.

"Then I will still be here."

"Ob, but-" the girl gave a slight start as though she did not mean to offer a personal invitation to the demon lord to hang around with her.

"Rest, girl." His calm voice brooked no refusal. He knew the castle grounds were perfectly safe for her to be alone, secluded though they may be, there was no way he would have left her alone. He had to make up for lost time. His command was softly spoken but the steel was threaded in the brief words. As for the girl, she was happy that he relented enough to give her a few more moments outside. It was a small sacrifice for her even though it meant an extension of that time was to spend in his company. Rin dismissed her minor disquiet when she saw the way the sharp chin lifted to the sky as if to challenge her to protest his presence.

Rin was so glad she was able to convince him to let her have a little bit of freedom that she did not care and had brushed aside the small thought that he _was_ attached as part of the bargain. He seemed almost a stranger again, reverting his stance back to a detached, clinical lord. Smiling happily to herself, she made quick work of the meal's remainder as she deftly cleared the items away back inside the hamper and quietly submitted to his issued command.

Rin settled shyly down on the mat with her back to the lord (she couldn't face him while trying to enjoy the silence feeling she would feel a little too vulnerable with her eyes closed while his eyes were free to roam) using one of her arms as a pillow. It never occurred to her to doze off while Lord Sesshoumaru was at her back but she did. She felt safe somehow….even….dare she think it..safer in_ his_ presence, knowing instinctively that he would keep her from harm. It was not long before the light whispering of the breeze and the sounds of nature lulled her to sleep.

Sesshomaru listened as her breathing settled and evened out before he pushed himself away from where he was seated, stood up, and stepped noiselessly to where the girl curled up in a fetal position. He knelt down on his knees and observed her features, noting the youthful curve of the cheeks, the soft lips that trembled slightly as she murmured lightly in her slumber, and the shallow dip of silky skin of her collarbone slightly exposed by the "V" of her neckline. Gods, he missed her so much. Despite his intentions, his hand involuntarily reached out and stroked her hair, so careful to not awaken the sleeping girl.

Hot silk. Ebony hair that felt like silken sand flowed through his claws.

Forever would not be long enough for him to rise every morning with her like this in his sight.

Peace seeped through him as he stretched out beside the girl and allowed sleep to take hold of him.

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Rin woke up to the faint breeze getting cooler as the sun slowly disappeared behind the clouds. She turned her body and was surprised to see the dog demon stretched out on his side next to her. His one arm flung out brushing near the edge of her kimono sleeve, claws curled as though, before he fell asleep, they might have closed upon the folds of the fabric to keep hold on her.

She gazed at him curiously.

The lord's stern face, so formidable when awake, was smoothed out in sleep. The dark-fringed lashes, the straight patrician nose, the beautiful silky hair all suggested a sensitivity not evident when he was alert and active, or making scathing remarks or withdrawn into one of his somber silent moods. His hair was spread out and strewn on the grass like a silver halo. A beautiful angel with a razor-sharp wit and a harsh personality of a demon.

She leaned closer, intrigued by the facial markings now that she was so close in his personal space. Two magenta stripes on each cheek were exquisitely well blended. Rin had glimpsed similar markings on his wrist and wondered innocently if there were markings in other areas of his body that was well concealed beneath the mountain of silk and armory. A blue crescent moon arcing elegantly in the middle of his forehead only enhanced the exotic quality of this creature. She felt heat rising on her throat and raised a slightly trembling hand to her cheeks to fan off the sensual path of her thoughts. Soft smudges of color were lightly painted across two closed lids giving him the appearance of a beautiful angel with snow white hair that would make any girl jealous. They felt so soft, Rin thought as she quietly looped several silken strands through her fingers, unable to help herself from touching this magnificent creature before her.

_Pretty_….somehow that one word in her mind conjured hazy images of her stroking long platinum strands, of her caressing soft, angular cheeks, and of her being kissed so relentlessly. So many images in her brain seeming to barrel all at once, beating down the doors of her mind ferociously. Shades and sounds echoed in the back of her mind, and they all seemed to singularly point to this creature resting beside her.

What circumstances did she come to him and what circumstances did she leave him?

Rin was puzzled. She could almost believe that she had shared a part of her life with this Taiyoukai but was frustrated by the missing links that apparently joined but then severed them. She continued to play with his hair almost absentmindedly, her thoughts focused on the past.

Sesshoumaru awoke then, alerted first by the emotions emanating from the girl as if feeling her intense stare combined with his senses tingling from her delicate touch and a small prickle of remembered sensuality flooded his being. The golden eyes sharpened as his faculties returned as though by instant command but then visibly softened as they settled on her. She was trying so hard to remember. His gaze lingered on the slight frown marring a smooth forehead, and tiny white teeth nibbled nervously at the full lips as she concentrated on resurrecting the missing pieces of her life.

Rin was startled at his sudden awakening and withdrew her hand, flushing scarlet at being caught in the act of toying with his pristine hair. Expecting his icy wrath to come down on her head and deservedly so, she untwined the locks from nerveless fingers. "I'm s…ssorry, Lord Sesshoumaru." Her hand jerked hastily away to fall back to her side.

"Do not be shy," Sesshoumaru deftly caught the slender hand and transferred it to his cheek, his warm palm encouraging and fueling her curiosity. He was actually glad she felt safe with him to initiate touching him. Other than his parents, Sesshoumaru had never had hands laid on him in such a tender and caring manner as if he truly mattered, as if he were necessary and he alone could bring happiness to someone's existence. With such responsibility also came great joy and he reveled in it. Inwardly purring, he felt a small frisson of electricity sizzled along his nerve endings of his frame.

Tentatively and as though unable to help herself, the girl experimentally trailed soft finger pads over the magenta stripes and as she reached one earlobe, she traced the in and out of the lobe, delighted in the strange, elongated shape under her untried hand.

Rin felt such compulsion to touch him. It was familiar and yet unfamiliar at the same time. It was like she had traced this same path in times past. Those golden eyes fixed steadfastly on her face but they occasionally fluttered closed as though to savor her touch all the while a strange fire flickered at the back of those orbs. Rin felt like she had fallen into a sensual fog with the demon lord so acquiescent, so complacent underneath her fingers.

Sesshomaru's throaty groans rumbled softly in his chest signaling his pleasure, his ears were one of his most erogenous areas and she was making him feel this needy, this hungry for her touch.

He raised a warm palm to her cheek, carefully sheathing his claws and caressed the silky texture. It glided sensuously down the long column of milky white throat, gently pushing aside the neckline of her kimono so he could get to the warm skin underneath.

Sesshomaru leaned in closer, his body shielding her from the dwindling sun's rays and platinum hair swirling around them as if to cloak them in their own private world, and placed a soft kiss on her lips. He heard her sigh gently and the dark lashes shadowed soft cheeks as his lips nicked along her jaw line before returning back to lap at the seams of her lips. He teased their plumpness with his tongue, pressing moist nips and felt small tremors shaking the slight frame beneath him. His hand, continuing on its path, found heaven. Delicately cupping one small breast, he felt her stiffened shyly as though to jerk away from his touch. Sesshoumaru deepened his kiss as he soothed her nervousness and continued to gently massage the silky mound in a rhythmic manner. Taut muscles slowly relaxed signaling her acquiescence as she leant in closer, automatically arching her back into his questing hand. Her body again tautened in awareness as a warm thumb and forefinger rubbed the sensitive bud as the girl gasped out loud at the foreign sensation the lord was creating in her.

Sesshoumaru swallowed her moan completely as he plunged his tongue inside her mouth, heated desire flicked along his nerves, igniting his pleasure even more.

Sweet. She tasted like the sweetest honey. A taste that he had never forgotten. His tongue explored every crevice and corner inside the warm, wet cavern of her mouth. Shyly, Rin's own tongue tentatively reached out to caress his and Sesshomaru became greedier. Hungrily, he thrust deep in her mouth desiring to feel the essence of Rin. It had been too long for him as he continued to ravage her mouth. His lips broke away from her mouth to allow her breath as they traveled down soft throat, licking and nuzzling at the pulse beating so frantically in her heightened state. Sesshomaru's breath caught as he felt her reaction to him, to his touch. He was gratified but strangely humbled at the same time. Humbled that she would even allow him the liberty to touch her so. Proud that he was able to evoke such pleasurable sensations in her. He was the one to make her feel like this. He and he alone. The warm lips traveled further down the valley of her breast, gliding to her right breast. The demon lord pressed hot kisses on the milky globe before taking the rosy nipple into his mouth and tugging with his teeth. The erotic sound of him suckling and teasing the peak until it stiffened under the onslaught of his tongue made her shiver with some unknown joy and she was mindless in her quest to please him more. His hand palmed the other breast, squeezing and delighting in its fullness. Her body felt like it was made especially and only for him. She fitted perfectly in his palm and in his mouth. He felt her fingers feverishly sought and sunk deep into the white tresses above her breast as she pressed herself even closer to his heated body.

"Rin, say my name." He muttered deep in his throat, his voice roughened by desire with a slight touch of pleading had Rin paid enough attention. The muscle in his throat clenching spasmodically as he strove to control his craving.

"S..Ssesshom…" Even as she started to comply with his command, his words penetrated her desire-induced fog, the thickened voice sounding strange in her ears and Rin felt like a thousand buckets of cold water were dumped on her senses, instantly galvanizing her to flare out defensively. Something snapped in the back of her mind and Rin pushed at his broad shoulders above her. "No!" An image of her and a vague white-haired creature flashed in her mind, scenes of them enjoying each other's touches were too familiar and she couldn't believe at the possibility that she and this lord had shared and were sharing an intimate moment. What must Inuyasha think?

_Inuyasha!_ Her mind screeched to a halt and she pushed at the broad shoulders more agitatedly. "Please, Sesshoumaru, leave me be." Slender arms beat against the firm chest. In her distress, she even forgot the honorific but the lord was almost too far gone to notice. For the briefest of moment, Sesshomaru thought vaguely of ignoring her plea knowing that he could make her change her mind quite easily. But he grimly refused to go down that route. He respected her opinions, her wishes even at the expense of his own.

His muscles clenched and exhaling harshly, Sesshomaru willed his body under control. The sharp claws slowly dropped their hold on her body. Painfully and reluctantly, he eased his body off hers and until then, Rin didn't realize she was totally exposed from the waist up. Pressed so tightly against his muscular frame, she didn't feel the cool air until they parted and she shivered as the cool breeze chilled her naked flesh. About to cross her arms to cover up her nudity, Sesshomaru gruffly brushed her arms aside. His eyes were lit with a feral gleam deep from within and they looked with pleasure at her bare breasts, and unable to stop himself, he cupped one quivering breast in his hand and saluting its loveliness with a kiss as he drew close the lapels of her kimono. All the while, Rin watched, quick tears inexplicably gathered at the corner of her eyes at this unwonted gentleness despite his raging desire.

He eyed her intently, the redness slowly receding from his vision as he sat up.

Rin noticed his own haori opened to the waist when he sat up from his reclining pose. She must have been just as eager to feel his own skin. Rin thought, mortified at her daring.

"Rin," his voice reached her ears making her involuntarily shift her gaze back to the dog demon. He looked just as disheveled and she blushed knowing it was _her_ hands, _her _fingers that had tousled his hair and caressed the taut curves of his musculature, urging him on. A hard flush stroked along his lean cheeks and she could still feel the heat from his body.

"You are mine." His voice, assured and deep, calmly intoned as though to establish that fact once and for all to those who'd care to listen. Long, tapered fingers confidently brushed aside her own shaking fingers to cinch the purple obi back around the small waist.

Sesshoumaru sighed. Dressing her was as erotic and sensual as undressing her. Finished with his task, he began to gently rake fingers through the thick stands of ebony hair feeling the waves cascading silkily around his wrist.

"I cannot be." Rin stiffened, rejection pronounced in every line of her slender body. "I belong to Inuyasha". Her voice tremulous as she raised wounded eyes to his face. Sesshomaru's face was once again a controlled mask, the slight tint of pink on his cheeks declared his arousal only moments ago still lingered but this time, the flare of his anger rose quickly.

"Inuyasha be damned." He answered through gritted teeth. "That baka knows nothing. He is not fit to touch even the hem of your kimono. Why do you think you cling to Inuyasha in the first place? Does he not remind you of this Sesshomaru?" Bronze eyes sparked with the strength of his anger. "You cannot be with him. My name will be the name that you will call out. My touch will be the one you'll crave when you're with him." The fine eyebrows frowned in determination.

_Damn her misplaced loyalty. He should have known that she would be stubborn. Rin would not be Rin without it._

"Were there any pathways that were rewired in your mind?" The question shot straight at her, his eyes narrowed sternly as they probed her own. "No triggering reminders?" His tone firm as he pursued this thought, anticipating that there were some small re-connections that Rin had experienced.

Rin shook her head automatically. Guiltily, she pushed aside the thought that her first kiss shared with Inuyasha brought a sense of "coming home" to her heart. Could this be the reason for her instant attraction to the hanyou? Far from being repulsed by the demon lord's touch and caresses, she had found herself clinging to him like a burr until sanity returned and he was no less possessive of her. That couldn't have been the reason she was drawn to Inuyasha. Were her sensual wirings created by this enigmatic lord? She still has no recollection but her senses and her heart told her that Sesshomaru spoke the truth even though her mind was unwilling to admit the truth.

_Argghhh._. Rin was frustrated, her hands fisting at her side. "Lord Sesshomaru, I…" she stood up quickly and he followed suit.

"It's a little late for you to continue to address me in this manner." He interrupted brusquely, impatience written in every sinewy muscle.

Rin blushed but defiantly ignored him. "I will not betray Inuyasha." The girl faced him valiantly, ear to shoulder but she did not let his height intimidate her.

"Your _body_ cannot help itself, Rin. It recognizes _me_ and none other. You cannot brush aside your feelings like some forgotten …. _rag_. I forbid it!"

"Forbid?" Rin was indignant. "Pardon me, lord Sesshomaru, but you CAN'T forbid me to do anything I do not want." She bristled at the highhandedness of his command, an annoyed flush stealing into her cheeks. "I am going back to my chambers," she glared at him, challenge written in every line of her slim figure. "Do you forbid me to do this?"

Without waiting for his response, she turned and walked quickly back to the familiar grounds, jumping over boulders and rocks as she anxiously wanted to leave his disturbing presence. He wreaked such havoc with her senses.

"_Rin. Be careful." _

The words carried by the wind flew to her ears but she ignored them as she all but ran to the safety of her chambers. Damn him for almost allowing her to forget her principles. She couldn't figure him out. Surely he did not mean what he just said. It put paid to the things Inuyasha said about his brother's human-hating tendencies.

Head down and eyes focused, she made her way back to the main garden in the castle ground quite quickly as if the very devil was pursuing her very soul all the while ignoring the guilty thought of the familiar headiness his touch had invoked.

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(**A/N**: So their first little make-out session. Hehe... I just had hand surgery and typing with one hand is heck. Anyway, I am still struggling with this story. It started out so deceptively simple. Guess I was wrong…Whhaa... thus the very long, very inexcusable delay. This writer can surely use directional concrits and recommendations if you care to share… grins a "Rin" grin).


	8. Chapter 8

**RETURN MY LOVE**

Disclaimer: Do not own Inuyasha….

_**(A/N: Thank you for all the well-wishers for my recovery. Want to give a special shout out to my gal evil-buny. This chapter is for you in response to your "Vision" dedication. I hope it is not too displeasing).**_

_**Chapter 8: DISTRACTIONS**_

Being at a marriageable age and endowed with more than the world's share of good looks and wealth, Sesshoumaru had always been the target of female demons far and wide desiring to capture this coveted prize. He had effectively eluded their greedy grasps so far. He really had no desire to seek a mate even though he realized that his lineage must be carried on and there must be an heir at some point in and for the future. It was only logical but it would be years before he would even attempt to contemplate that requirement in earnest.

Sesshoumaru was still a young ruler compared to most demons of his time and thus did not have a particular timetable to adhere to. By natural laws, it was understood that every species ensured its existence by finding the strongest and fittest mate. This was no exception to his kind.

Hell, his _own_ birth proclaimed that imminence quite emphatically.

Yet already, he found himself willfully ignoring logic and culture that had been severely ingrained in his education and upbringing with the introduction of the girl in his life. The very idea of taking someone for mere procreative purposes seemed more and more repulsive to the demon lord as his ward grew older.

But tried as he did, Sesshoumaru could not deny the clamoring of his heart. Overruling his steely resolve, it had chosen a weak, helpless human girl. It was she to which his affections were directed; it was she who he protected with no thought for his own life; it was she who he craved without rhyme or reason. The battle between his heart and head was certainly more taxing and fiercer than any he had ever participated.

Sesshoumaru knew that there would never be quite another claim made on his heart. Once given, it could not be retracted.

He could have anyone he wanted, anyone at all. With a mere snap of his sharp claws, they would have fallen so willingly in with his wishes.

But Sesshoumaru only ever wanted _her._

The degree to which he had fallen under her charms was so subtle that he did not realize the depth of his feelings and how much they had taken hold of him. The youthful resiliency and the vibrancy of the girl had perplexed and intrigued him in the beginning. Then it was the intelligence and gentle kindness that her very soul embodied. It had exasperated him on occasions to find that she had even protected that ignorant toad from his wrath. Before long, the fascination turned to corporeal cravings that made his body inwardly tremble whenever she was near. He had avoided the girl as much as he could for he was not certain if he would have been able to retain control and not reach out and touch the silky lips or the soft baby skin on her cheeks.

The dog lord was even more alarmed when he realized there was no denying his feelings, her image was the one that was always superimposed on his hazy impression of what he desired in a mate. But traditions must be observed and when the demon princesses of the four corners of the world came knocking at his door, he was forced to keep his abhorrence hidden from them when all he wanted to do was to chuck them off his grounds and keep _her_ locked inside with him forever.

One such grasping harridan but ironically by far the most suitable creature that could come close to even touch the hem of his robe was Lyoko. Her pedigree was impeccable, hailed from the royal bloodline of the Eastern lands. She had been bold and vocal about her desire to claim victory over Sesshoumaru, and that avarice, that greed made her so repugnant to the dog lord.

Certainly, Lyoko's self-confidence was well-founded. Not lacking in brains nor beauty, most believed she was the ideal match for the Western Lord's attention. Silvery gray hair and neon blue eyes adorned a flawless, heart-shaped face. Her willowy appearance was deceptively fragile for underneath that slender frame hid a strength and steely resolve of her race. To all intents and purposes, she was _his_ perfect female.

Decades before Rin appeared in his life, Lyoko had boldly sent a missive to the Taiyoukai expressing her intent to visit his lands and ultimately seeking his audience. At the time, Sesshoumaru was more concerned with using Lyoko's visit as a means to gauge potential aggression against him outside of his borders. She was the perfect tool to extract information. Sesshoumaru had been solicited endlessly in the past by warlords and princes who had hoped to have the powerful lord as their ally. They wanted the solid protection of the Western province. After all, he was known for being very possessive and very protective of his interests and many had paraded their daughters in the hope that one would catch and retain the lord's cool golden gaze. But of course, he had ignored all schemes that did not further his causes and his personal life was definitely not for public consumption.

Sesshoumaru knew without a doubt that he was powerful enough to dominate their lands should he desire but was wise enough to know that despots did not last long. His father had taught him well to never give up on his principles. As the years went by and Sesshoumaru had acquired his human companion and despite his own personal ambivalence, the very thought of selecting his mate had brought the subject of Rin to the forefront and constantly reminded him that she could not stay forever due to his reluctance to take action. In a way, the fact that Lyoko's letter and other similar missives and the drabble from the toad imp reminded him of his responsibility to his family name but also raised the issue of his responsibility to _her_ so decisively.

_And look what misery he had experienced due to his crass stupidity when she left him because he thought he was doing a good deed for the both of them._

And while Rin had remained in his household until her departure, Sesshoumaru had always denied Lyoko and other demonesses access to his domain. The human girl was still too much a part of his household which the lord had summarily dismissed the reason for his reluctance as nothing abnormal. Rin was a good shield to the "courtly" socializing he was to have endured.

But just as he had received Lyoko's letter then, he had received another missive again and the message was of the same drone. And as on previous occasions, Sesshoumaru's first thought was to reject and deny audience.

Not when he had just recently "re-acquired" his missing ward and could not afford useless distractions that stood in his plans to awaken Rin. The nature of this subsequent letter was no different from the last ones and the barely visible twitching of his jaw muscle indicated his vast annoyance as he contemplated the content of the letter. It seemed Lyoko was on a surveying trip of her land and since she was to come so close to his borders that it would be churlish and discourteous of her not to pay homage to him. Her saccharin, insincere flattery was barely veiled in the content and it was disgustingly revolting enough for the demon to render it into a pile of oozing, acrid pile of goo from the poison of his claws while walking away from the rancid odor of toxin.

Sesshoumaru suddenly stopped in his track, tantalized by a sudden thought.

_On the other hand, it might not be a bad idea to have that female here. _

She could provide a distraction, a red herring, to ease the tension between the human girl and him. Perhaps, the human girl could even be provoked into some sort of possessiveness… perhaps even jealousy about him.

But yet, he could not find himself to manipulate Rin. It was not in him to be that.

Sesshoumaru always had prided himself on his straightforward demeanor and honesty. He had never the need to resolve to subterfuge to get his way and he was not about to start now.

Damn. But _their_ happiness was at stake. He knew she loved him in the past. All he wanted was to make sure she would do so again. Sesshoumaru's eyes glinted burnt amber as he stared outside of his chambers. A slight breeze brought a comforting scent of lilacs to his senses and he inhaled deeply and deliberately. His mind was made up.

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Rin was enjoying the fresh air outside the castle. Some times she felt like eyes were watching her every move but she shook those thoughts off as being fanciful. Who would care what a human girl does in this palace crawling with demons of all stature. They all seemed to have their tasks about them and that was to serve their lord. The best she could do was to stay out of their way and make herself as inconspicuous as possible.

Rin eluded the lord but she didn't mind his servants. No longer was she intimidated by their sudden appearances in the corridors. And for them, it was silently gratifying for them to see the spunkiness returned to the girl. When the lord first came home with the grubby and dirty young child in tow, they were scandalized at his action but over the years, she had burrowed so deeply, without meaning to, into their hearts. There were always laughter and flowers and kind words from her. Eventually, the protective nature of the lord for the girl was also donned by the servants and they were saddened at her sudden and inexplicable departure.

They could feel her absence left Lord Sesshoumaru totally unpredictable. It was not so much as there were any outwardly signs but their lord seemed to be even more withdrawn. His patience, which had never been his strong suit, had become almost non-existent and they made it a point to avoid any run-ins with the grim-faced lord. The wall of silence seemed to have risen higher and the castle itself seemed shrouded in a gloomy, sullen place, devoid of the girl's cheerfulness and gaiety. So even when he came back with her in his arm and Inuyasha's scent nearby, still they breathed a collective sigh of relief because she was where she belonged and _his_ world was set on the right axes once more. Perhaps the lord of the castle would become more at peace with himself now that the girl was home.

Under the Taiyoukai's strictest orders, no one was to divulge her past to her and they complied quickly. Lord Sesshoumaru surely had his own reasons.

For such a small package, the breadth of her command was quite extensive in that she seemed to have their lord so completely wrapped around her little fingers and he did not mind.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

Despite last night's event, it was churlish if she decided not to show up for her regular meals with him. For one thing, she did not want him to put too much emphasis that last night's event had much weight with her. For another thing, it was inherent repulsive of her to ill-treat her host and be disrespectful to him in his own domain. A second thing that egged her onward was that she was anxious for news from Inuyasha. Maybe today would be the day he was ready to send for her or come back to get her.

So swallowing down her nervousness, Rin went to the dining area. Of course, the dog lord was already seated at his place.

"Good morning, my lord," Rin quietly said to the handsome creature. Her eyes caught his unblinking stare and she quickly looked away while pretending to be busy in the business of sitting down gracefully and trying not to be too anxious for news on her hanyou.

Rin was quite certain her breathing was constricted because of her rushing to the room to avoid being tardy and not because at magnitude of the sheer beauty of Inuyasha's half-brother.

Sesshoumaru felt, not for the first time, jealousy ripping through his frame since his brother unwittingly became entangled between them.

Biting down his self-disgust, he pushed a parchment into her sight. "A missive came for you last night."

"Thank you." Startled brown eyes were raised to his again before slim fingers opened the scroll and eager eyes perused the written words anxiously. Sesshoumaru waited silently and a few moments later, he saw the thin shoulders drooped slightly and could not help the silent elation that flooded through him for this reprieve. However, he quickly schooled his features into the impersonal blank mask.

Rin did not see the glint in the amber gaze before that fire was banked and became cool once more. She folded the letter and tucked it inside the sleeve of her kimono before looking up into his enquiring eyes.

"Inuyasha was delayed. It was a little harder than he thought to get rid of the invaders." She began, trying to be bright and nonchalant about her bad news. But then her face brightened considerably as an idea sprouted wings. "Lord Sesshoumaru, I am quite recovered and don't want to impose on your hospitality. I think it's best that I rejoin Inuyasha. As you can see, I am perfectly cap-"

"No, you may not." The deep voice interrupted her firmly and she shot him an astonished look. Surely, he had enough of human pollutant in his land lately?

"Why not?" She could not understand his refusal.

"You must regain sufficient strength to travel to him."_ Because I don't want you to leave, _Sesshoumaru's other voice whispered quietly

Rin tweaked nervously at the fabric of her kimono sleeve well hidden from sight. "I assure, my lord, that I am feeling better to make the journey." More tweaking. "Don't forget that I have lived on my own before." The reminder was gentle.

_Yes. And a fine job she did to come back to him skin and bones and with memory loss to boot_.

"Do not make me waste my time killing him when he seeks revenge if you are harmed."

He watched the girl open her mouth as though to protest his decision and was inwardly grateful that Jaken decided to interrupt at that moment. The toad appeared at Sesshoumaru's elbow. "My lord, Lady Lyoko has just arrived."

"Bring her here."

Jaken bowed and retreated out of the room.

Rin made to get up and hesitated when the lord frowned at her action.

"What are you doing?" The fine eyebrows arched under silver bangs.

"My lord, you have guests. I will leave you." A pink blush stole across soft cheeks as she could not help but felt the Lord Sesshoumaru seemed to be in a belligerent mood all of a sudden.

"There is no need. It is not a private session." He emphasized and pointedly looked at the untouched food on her plate. "And you have not started eating yet."

Rin felt a flash of odd happiness at the image of the powerful dog demon attentive to the eating habits of a mere human. It was so refreshingly out of character that a small smile raised the corner of her lips.

"My lord, at the rate of you watching my food intake so carefully, I will be bigger than a pig if I am not careful." She grinned at him and re-settled herself back into her seat.

"You need it." He muttered under his breath that came out as a rumbling, too low for human ears to hear, disguising all hints of tenderness.

Lady Lyoko swept into the room and made a beeline for the lord, her steps faltered slightly when she saw another occupant, much less _human_ located next to him. She recovered gracefully although the disdain showed clearly on the pretty face.

"Lord Sesshoumaru. My father sends his greetings." She sank into a low courtesy in front of him, elegance emanating from every pore. "I hope that we could have meetings to discuss some items that may prove beneficial for both territories." Long lashes lowered coyly over those amazing sky blue eyes as she pointedly ignored the human girl.

Rin felt her breath taken away when she gazed at Lyoko for the first time as she swept into the room. The poison demoness was a phenomenally beautiful creature. Dove gray hair was a startling contrast with the most azure eyes Rin had ever seen. Cherry red lips pouted prettily because Lord Sesshoumaru's bland countenance did not falter. But then, that would not be a good judge on that superficial level, Rin smirked to herself. In the short time she knew of him, Lord Sesshoumaru was a total mystery who guarded his thoughts and feelings with an iron fist. But with beauty like that of Lyoko's, it must have been hard for demoness to be so summarily dismissed as though she was a nonentity. Perhaps she had a right to be the cynosure of all eyes because she was so gorgeous but Lord Sesshoumaru certainly seemed unaffected. That thought brought a surprisingly unexpected comfort to Rin's heart that she shoved it quickly away from her mind and turned back again to the beautiful lady.

Rin was a bit curious about Lyoko's parents. They must be something extraordinary to have borne such a beautiful child. That inquisitive thought naturally gave rise to another and her eyes swung back to peer intently at the elegant lord beside her.

Rin had never really asked Inuyasha of his parentage before. Once she had asked and he had replied that he never knew his father since he died not long after he was born. The terse nature of his answer made Rin desist her line of teasing. It was an apparently sensitive topic and she knew that Inuyasha would tell her when he was ready to share. Although she and Inuyasha had only recently met up with the dog lord, it was evident the brothers certainly possessed the same streak of stubbornness and determination. They just chose different methods as outlets. Even Rin, who had not been in Lord Sesshoumaru's presence for too long, must admit that Lord Sesshoumaru's watchful vigilance and Inuyasha's impulsiveness were definitely night and day.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

Sensing brown eyes on him, Sesshoumaru caught her quizzical gaze and held it steadily until Rin blinked in confusion and dropped her eyes, thick lashes fringing her hot cheeks at being caught staring.

Lyoko unbent from her bow and her eyes drifted to the dog demon only to find his eyes fixed on the girl beside him and oblivious to any thing else. She glided carefully to sit on the other side of Sesshoumaru while trying to keep her anger in check.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, if we may discuss your agenda and see if I may get an audience for some moments to discuss our treaties…."

Sesshoumaru was displeased at the Lyoko's interruption. He was transfixed by that innocent look. His heart had leapt unexpectedly when he found those earnest brown eyes had focused on him so deeply. She looked as if she wished to really know more about him, to decipher him and Lyoko just broke that promising start with her intrusion.

A faint frown marred the smooth, unlined forehead as the lord reluctantly cast his eyes to the demoness and they glinted warningly.

"My lord," Jaken started when an uncomfortable silence settled over the room. "Would you prefer to have Lady Lyoko in the South wing?"

"Fine." A non-committal reply and the Lord glanced at his vassal. "Be sure that Lady Lyoko's requirements are met during her stay here." He seemed to relent enough to add the instruction. Jaken once again left the room to carry out the order.

"My Lord and Lady," taking her cue, Rin gracefully pushed back onto the seat cushion and rose to her feet, determined not to play the extra wheel. The female obviously wanted alone time with the dog lord and she was not going to be where she was blatantly not wanted. Obviously, the demoness had things to confide to the lord and Rin really did not want to listen to it. It was, after all, none of her business and she had nothing in common with either of them. "If you will excuse me, I have other things to tend to…" With that she bowed and left the dining room as quietly and as effortlessly as quicksilver.

_The infuriating girl. She deliberately disobeyed me_. Golden eyes watched the slender girl disappeared from sight. Sesshoumaru noiselessly grinded his teeth. Playing host was something he did not relish especially when Lyoko's intentions were so painfully evident.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Rin sniffed the sakura blossoms appreciatively. She had dodged the oppressiveness of the dining area and her feet meandered of their own volition to the gardens. This space had always strangely drawn her to its lush and brilliant colors ever since she had become a temporary visitor. The garden was a feast to all the senses and Rin loved this space. The flowers surrounding on the castle ground were truly amazing. Never had she seen so much variety as well as of colors against such a majestic backdrop. It was like a palette of color that brought life to the regal background of the castle. She walked about leisurely, stopping often to smell the aromatic scents that tingle her nostrils. But her peace was shortlived as a figure came across her vision and Rin hastily turned to go in the opposite direction. She did not need the demoness to destroy her sense of peacefulness and joy of the moment.

However, the beautiful creature was persistent. Rin was surprised that the lord had concluded his discussion with Lyoko so quickly. She had only but left them mere moments ago. If she were a fly on the wall, Rin would have laughed at the speed in which Sesshoumaru dispensed Lyoko's presence. Perfunctory and formal, he carved out a specific time to meet with Lyoko and then excused himself to his study leaving behind a flabbergasted demoness.

"You, there. Stop." Lyoko's voice rang out.

"My name is Rin." Rin sighed and turned back, a frosty smile on her lips. _Lady or no lady, that demoness could use a lesson in manner._

Lyoko ignored her lack of civility to Rin. "I want to know how long you plan to leech off of the generosity of Lord Sesshoumaru?" She began huffily, tossing skein of soft silvery hair. She did look impressive and her heightened emotions brought a touch of pink to the pale cheeks.

"That will be decided between myself and the lord." Rin was deeply offended. Although she was as anxious to leave as much as this female, that did not mean that Lyoko could interfere and dictate her whereabouts. To Rin, that could not be too soon, but that _thing_ did not need to know Rin was just as keen to be away from Sesshoumaru's disturbing presence.

"You humans are all alike. Lazy to the bones and totally untrustworthy, not good enough to lick our feet." Lyoko spat out venomously. "Do you think you could catch his attention by hanging around?"

"I don't like what you are implying." Rin told her coolly, her face blunt as she looked directly at the demoness.

"You don't have a hope. He hates your kind."

_For the love of ---I don't have to deal with this aggravating creature._ "Listen. I do not have designs on this lord unlike _others_." Rin emphasized the last word heavily, feeling her patience wearing thin at the rude behavior. She watched Lyoko clasped and unclasped her claws while brighter red spots appeared on white cheeks as the barb hit home. _Yep. She got the sarcasm, all right._

Satisfied, Rin turned and strolled away with her head held high but was slightly miffed that her walk was quite spoiled.

"How dare you insult me, you despicable human trash!"

Rin felt a swish of air rushed from behind her before she felt sharp claws reached out and grazed her cheeks drawing three thin lines of blood. Rin was surprised at the unexpected attack. Had her instincts been any slower, a greater injury might have happened. Sidestepping those dangerous claws were about the only thing she could do in reacting to potential bodily injury.

"Now who is the unworthy one to attack an unsuspecting person?" Rin haughtily taunted the demoness while feeling a thin, wet trickling of blood down her cheek. She would not give that evil creature the satisfaction of knowing she had taken Rin almost by surprise. Her lips formed a hard grin.

Lyoko looked at the creature in front of her with pure dislike in her eyes. How dare this human make a fool of her. The girl didn't even flinch and now she was insolently smirking at the demoness.

"You'll pay for that impertinence." She screamed, frustration evident, and lunged again.

But before they could wrangle up in each other, a voice thundered.

"_ENOUGH!"_

The white apparition of Lord Sesshoumaru suddenly appearing between them startled both females. His eyes flew to Rin immediately noting the thin, thread-like streaks of blood on the soft bloom of her right cheek and his nostrils flared angrily while his lips pulled back baring canine fangs.

Rin averted her gaze from the strangely flashing golden eyes and walked away once more, ignoring the two figures behind her while Lyoko almost wilted beneath his fury. _Jeeezzhh._ _This is getting way ridiculous. _

Sesshoumaru silently watched her walk away. He then turned abruptly to face the demoness, the aura of his displeasure was difficult to face down by the demoness before him.

"You are incredibly foolish." His voice was icy and the patrician features tightened ominously.

"She was unbelievably rude to me, my Lord." Lyoko started, blaming the absent girl. She was silently quaking to feel the crackle of energy vibrating off the demon lord.

"Do not lie. Liars are despicable." His scathing gaze scorched her and Lyoko felt like a butterfly trapped beneath the weight of a pin. Indeed, his keen hearing had picked up the exchange but did not interfere since he was eager to hear what Rin had to say about him. And because of this selfish desire, Lyoko was able to lay hands on the girl.

"B..but Lord---"

"Silence!" he commanded and Lyoko cowered slightly at the perfectly deadly tone. "Leave my presence." His voice coldly dismissed her. The demoness turned and headed back to the castle grounds but inwardly fuming at being ordered so high handedly. Her anger at the girl grew. It was all _her_ fault.

Sesshoumaru shook his exasperation off and drew in a calming breath. He was very intrigued when he caught the thread of their conversation but that curiosity turned to fury when he scented _her_ blood. Sesshomaru's defense mechanism kicked in automatically and he appeared on the scene in a blink of an eye. He knew the wounds were only superficial. Still, seeing her blood was like waving a red flag to a raging bull and something churned frantically inside him at the thought of Rin being hurt. Twice she had died from his arrogance and had it not been for the grace of his father and mother, there would have been a dull, miserable pain in his heart for the rest of his life.

"Rin." His voice touched her and his frame materialized in front of her path.

He saw her grimaced trying to keep her own feelings in check.

"I don't think there is any thing else to be said." She didn't want to face him. She wondered if he had overheard about her claim that she had no design on him. How mortifying to be fighting over a male like a bone of contention between them. At least, the fight had been one sided, she consoled herself silently. Lyoko was the one who desired the lord and was only making Rin aware of her pursuit. But how in the world did Lyoko come to that stupid conclusion that Rin was something she had to worry about? Was Lyoko afraid that Rin was competition? That notion was far too ridiculous and laughable. Did the demoness not know that the lord detested humans?

Claws reached out and landed softly on her shoulder, stopping her in her tracks.

"Look at me." Rin felt her chin lifted up by long fingers before those fingers

threaded themselves in the masses of soft ebony strands preventing her from avoiding his gaze.

Wordlessly, he took inventory of her face and the scratches, golden eyes unreadable. "I will not turn the other cheek the next time, Lord Sesshoumaru." Rin babbled, suddenly confused at the strange gleam in the golden eyes above her and at the light touch of fingers stroking softly on her face. "Y…y.you best keep your lady friends well away from me."

Sesshoumaru did not seem to pay attention to her words. Instead, he brought his head closer to her face.

"Wh..what are you doing?" Rin's eyes widened and she shimmied away slightly, unnerved by their closeness but found it impossible for the claws were still immersed in her hair.

Sesshoumaru touched the dried blood on her cheek and the next thing she knew, his tongue had reached out and lapped her cheek gently.

"Ahh No..noo.. Please don't." Rin shivered at the intimate contact, trying to shift her face away but her face was held firmly in place by implacable fingers.

"Be still. Lyoko is a poison demon." His words were concise. The scratches healed quickly closing the skin and stemming the blood. But before finally pulling away from her face, Sesshoumaru dipped his face in the fragile crook of her nape and inhaled deeply the sweet scent emanating from her skin. He wanted so much to sweep his tongue across that sweet spot and taste her once again but he brutally refrained himself. Instead, he dropped his hand and stepped away. Just only a small scent of her and he could feel his body tightening up in response.

Rin opened dazed eyes and looked at him while blinking mistily at the unexpected touch.

"She will not bother you again."

"Eehh…y..yes" Rin shook her head trying to clear the strange sensation that have jumbled her thought process while those eyes were looking at her so warmly. "I would not be here long enough for a second occasion."

She had to get away from this demon lord. Those glowing eyes of his bewildered her so much that she did not know up from down or left from right. The strange flames leaping at the back of them that she thought was an embellishment of her fertile imagination had invaded the yellow depths once again after he stepped aside and her heart responded foolishly to that heat. There was that odd fascination of wanting to be near him but dreading it at the same time. He was giving off some unspoken vibrations and she was not sure if she was capable of deciphering them correctly. She knew she felt less empty when he was nearby. It was much too dangerous to her own sense of decency to be so helplessly drawn to him like a filing to a magnet and feeling bereft when he was apart from her. Those kinds of intimate feelings she thought were reserved only for Inuyasha.

_Gods_, perhaps she was born unfaithful just like most humans and thus confirming his scorn for her race. She must admit that she secretly liked his remedy. Frisson of awareness still sizzled along her nerve endings and it was such an effort to keep her arms still by her side rather than flinging up and wrapping them around the strong neck above her.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

Sesshoumaru silently acknowledged her words but the less logical side of his mind elatedly and meticulously documented her physical reaction to him. She was not as impervious to him or his touch as she believed.

_We are making some progress_, he smirked to himself.

"I-I am going back if there is nothing else you need." Rin said, firm withdrawal indicated on every slender line of her body as she stiltedly bowed to the tall figure in front of her.

Breathing in deeply, the dog lord nodded his head and Rin tilted her head slightly before leaving his presence.

_I need nothing but you. You will soon know that, little one._

&&&&&&&&&&&&

_(Back at the Castle)_

Lyoko continued to fume over the result of her encounter with that strange human girl.

Next time, the brat would not get away so easily. Lyoko promised herself. Humans were so fragile. A slip of footing, a sleight of hands, a little poison and their life would be so easily snuffed. And if she were to be very careful and very concise, no one would be the wiser. She did not care who Rin was or her importance to the dog lord. His repugnance for humans was well known and to get rid of one more would probably gain favor in his eyes.

In her vengeful mood, she totally disregarded Sesshoumaru's warning about harming the girl. Surely, he would not stoop to defend a useless human. As a matter of fact, Lord Sesshomaru might even be glad that Lyoko remove and eradicate one more human. _This_ human. And from what she heard, the girl was an unexpected baggage the hanyou left behind for some unknown reasons. Lyoko smiled to herself. She could defeat Inuyasha easily. He really posed as no threat to her, princess of the Eastern lands.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

Rin avoided the jealous creature as much as possible. Actually, she tried to avoid them both while biding her time before she could return to Inuyasha. The fact that he had sent several messages since to say that he was wrapping up his task and that he would retrieve her from the castle shortly had given her much hope. However, Inuyasha was quite emphatic that there was no reason for her to be traveling to reach him. He knew as much as it irked everyone, especially that arrogant baka brother of his, but this was the most sensible way and it served to lengthen her recuperative time. Nevertheless, Rin never gave up in asking Lord Sesshoumaru to make the journey each time a letter was delivered to her plate with the morning meal.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, I think that Inuyasha is being overly cautious, don't you think?" Brown eyes beseeched him.

She had joined him for breakfast once again, determined to ask Sesshoumaru for her release.

Sesshoumaru found himself thinking brown eyes could not be deemed as beautiful especially when there were a multitude of unique colors in the youkai world. But ever since she came into his world, his philosophical outlook on life had taken on a different slant. Even down to her eye color. At least those thin scratches Lyoko inflicted had healed and disappeared without any scarring that would mar that lovely face of the young girl.

"On the contrary, I must agree with him on this occasion. It would be less efficient if you go harrowing off after him."

"B..but…" she was surprised that the golden eyes had overruled her plea. She thought he would jump at that flimsy excuse to pack her out of his sight immediately.

"Think about it. If you want to be with Inuyasha sooner, you wouldn't want to get lost getting to him."

"Perhaps you could provide me a guide?"

"…"

"…Just to ensure that I won't stray off course." Rin explained patiently at his quizzical look.

"I am not here to pander to a human's whims." The lord replied, his face at its haughtiest. _No way will he be party to driving her away. _

Rin was not happy. She had provided the perfect solution and once more, he just ignored it. Point blank. She did not understand him. _But yes you do_, a voice whispered in the deep recess of her mind. _You do. You know him._

About to protest against his command, Rin opened her mouth to shot a rejoinder at him but was prevented by the appearance of the poison demoness. Her lips drooped at the lost opportunity to have further discussion with him. Rin held her temper and focused unseeingly on the food laid out on the table, her appetite waned. She will just have to remind him at a later time when there would be no unwanted intrusion.

Lyoko for her part, was dismayed that the human girl was able to get her face-time in with the lord. It was as if they deliberately rise so early in the morning in order to have their private time with each other before the rest of the world encroached upon them. She felt _de troupe_. But stiffening her spine, she glided forward and took her seat with a bright smile plastered to her face. But if one looked closer, the smile did not reach her eyes.

If Rin had been able to read Lyoko's thought right then and there, she would have burst a seam laughing at the absurdity of the demoness's unfounded notion.

TBC

_(A/N: All right. You know the drill. Push that blue button and review)._

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	9. Chapter 9

**RETURN MY LOVE**

Disclaimer: Do not own Inuyasha….

**Chapter 9: REVENGE**

(A/N: Finally, chapter 9! Thank you for all of the reviews to "encourage" me to continue. This story started out so simple in my outline sketch but it grew and grew and has been kicking my muse's bottom as I desperately try to give you all something fresh and not the normal run-of-the-mill fanfics. Thanks again for your patience).

Lyoko was fuming in anger when she inadvertently discovered from the servants that the human girl's departure was nowhere imminent. Apparently, the girl was under order to wait for her hanyou's return to resume their travel plans. That could not have been too soon for Lyoko to see the day when the ningen would leave the grounds for the girl's dreadful presence had been ruinously impeding her chance in capturing the lord's attention. Unfortunately, she was unaware her attempts were never destined to come to fruition regardless of how much she tried for_ his_ eyes had already been turned away from all females except for _this_ one.

It was futile but Sesshoumaru had his own dark reasoning in not outright dissuading Lyoko to give up her useless scheming.

The demoness was personally disgusted that Sesshoumaru seemed uncharacteristically lax to let a human run rampant inside his territory. Could it have been a bad habit that went unchecked and untethered? It was hard to imagine the lord to be anything but disciplined in all areas of his life. Surely, he had not grown oblivious of the stench of human inside his domain? She had heard rumors of a human girl that traveled with Sesshomaru years ago but no one outside the castle walls was able to substantiate that claim or even knew what happened to the girl. The Western Lord was a zealot where his privacy was concerned. He answered to no one about his actions and was ever ready to challenge any slander, libel, malignant gossip or otherwise against him. Unless he wanted to share his inner thoughts, which were improbable, the lord remained through and through, a distant and cold creature. But of course, Lyoko was wise enough to never publicly dare to criticize the Western Lord for that aberration. All she could hope to do was to covertly remove any and all obstacles in her path.

Still, Lyoko detested the girl heartily since her pride was grievously insulted the last time the girl was within her vicinity. After all, those were just _mere_ scratches the girl received but the lord was coldly furious at _her_ for inflicting them. They were just only superficial wounds but perhaps the lord carried his duties as a host a little bit too extravagantly. After all, the girl _was_ human and _belonged_ to his detestable half-brother, so Lyoko would have thought that it would have brought a sardonic amusement to him to see the girl being toyed with.

It was just as well that the human seemed to prefer her own solitude. She never sought out either Lyoko or the lord for companionship. In fact, she went out of her way avoiding them both if possible. That did not prevent Rin from being a thorn in Lyoko's side because despite both female's efforts to do the opposite, that human girl never seemed far from_ his_ side for some inexplicable reasons.

Never did it cross either female's mind that this was purely at Sesshoumaru's instigation. _He_ shamelessly manipulated every opportunity to keep Rin trained in his sight and hearing.

Her curiosity about the girl deepened. It loomed uppermost in Lyoko's mind as she attempted to eliminate this unknown element. She could not hope to neutralize her enemy if she did not know them. And considering Lyoko's single-minded purpose, this girl _was_ her enemy and as a foe, she was never to be underestimated.

Lyoko had lived long enough to witness too many battles lost due to complacency and egotistical pride. She would not make that mistake.

To build up her arsenal, the princess launched her own investigation. Her most trusted servants had fanned out and their sole mission was to find out all they could about this stranger who landed on the lord's doorsteps. More importantly, the burning question was why he had not rigorously done anything blatant to rid the girl from his grasp. Especially with her being Inuyasha's girl should have been more than sufficient incentive for him to extricate Rin and send her packing.

When possessing power and wealth as Lyoko commanded both, she did not have to wait long before things were revealed. Her people had dug deep and wide. When the news of their findings reached the demoness, she was not pleased and she found herself facing a limited number of options as she contemplated what to do about the girl, Rin.

Her right-hand man was tasked with orchestrating and organizing their spies to unravel his puzzle and he did not fail her. It seemed that Rin had been Inuyasha's companion for the last six months when they began to travel together. But there was much more to this amiable front than meet the eyes. Uto was able to trace back further into the girl's background. Apparently, she had resided in a human village further north and had left it recently. She had left the village on her quest to find the missing pieces of her past and her search led her into the hands of the lord's half-brother.

Literally, they had ventured to the lord's domain to "debut" Rin so that the dog lord would be able to scent his half-brother's intended. The visit became protracted when Inuyasha was called away to help hold off demon attacks on his friends' villages. Further diligence on Uto's part revealed Rin as none other than the former ward of the lord. The circumstances of their separation were not widely known and Uto ran into a dead end. Regardless of the reasons, the girl Rin had inadvertently come full circle. She was under the sphere of influence of the Western Lord once again. Providence must have laughed at the irony of the situation. It was probably most fitting to have the girl returned to the place where it had all begun and in the presence of the very same demon who had restarted the cycle of her life. Uto lost no time communicating this back to his superior. This morsel was going to earn Uto some big favors in her eyes.

Lyoko greeted this latest revelation with some sense of fatalistic calm. So this Rin was his former ward but Lyoko did not think the girl was fully aware of this fact. Lyoko could only scent a natural shyness on the girl's part in prolonged exposure to the dog demon. Yet, it might have just worked in the demoness's favor that Lord Sesshoumaru showed no urgency to reveal this past particular relationship to anyone and especially to the human girl herself. Any demon worth his salt would never have wanted to broadcast his affiliation with humans or even worse that he cared to some degree about these said humans. Sesshoumaru had probably consigned that unfortunate time of his life to oblivion never to be recollected.

The demoness was certain his reluctance to reveal this knowledge was because he must have realized having a human ward had placed him in a precarious situation with his subjects. His hypocrisy would know no end if it became public knowledge that he did care for a tiny human. She, who had no great miko powers, no great skill and really possessed no great beauty to turn anyone's eyes, could not have possibly captured the complex creature that was Sesshoumaru.

The chit was just a mediocre nobody, not really worth a second glance. Compared to her own accomplishments and blatant beauty, Lyoko knew she eclipsed the human female easily. Her regal bearing and background provided the most proper of pedigree that others would want to claim. So why was it that Lyoko's inner unease remained unabated? Why did his penchant for the plain child surpass her own looks and standing? It was _not_ so overt but Lyoko's instincts screamed it. The lord's inescapable attraction to that mousy creature was maddeningly absurd.

Female intuition was a damnable nuisance.

Fortune was on Lyoko's side though because the stupid human seemed to have no inkling. She seemed to go out of her way avoiding both the lord and Lyoko. The girl obviously saw herself as an unwanted guest, extra baggage in the lord's domain and preferred to keep her own counsel._ It is just as well that I don't see that girl all the time, or else I might to shred her to pieces_. With that relishing thought, Lyoko turned her devious mind and continue to plot Rin's downfall. _Didn't Uto mention a human healer to whom Rin was greatly attached?_

_This sounded a very intriguing possibility._

xoxoxoxoxoxo

Uto was summoned to capture the old healer and bring her to the edge of the forest of the Western lands.

Poor Aya.

Her captors were not the gentlest of creatures but thankfully, they did not kill her outright when they took her unceremoniously from her home in the dead of night. She was transported rather quickly to the large encampment and was made to drink some awful stuff daily that reeked strongly of the pungency of rotting vegetables. Whatever little view she could obtain when they allow her to have her private time, Aya could see the shadow of a grand castle in the far off distance and could only speculate her location. However, her captors were careless with their conversation and she was able to discern this had something to do with that lovely child, Rin.

Aya wondered how Rin was mixed up in all this? Was her search for her past successful? Did she have enemies? Aya could not believe one as kind and loyal as the girl could have been involved in anything shady. She prayed Rin had not fallen into the wrong hands. It was dangerous for a young girl to be traveling on her own and it had worried the old woman to no end when Rin embarked on her journey. Aya bit her lips anxiously, her ears intent on garnering more information.

The old healer would have been heartsickened if she knew there were some truths to her conjectures. Lady Lyoko certainly had plans for this wizened human female. The old woman was the perfect bait to pull Rin away from the lord's presence.

Xoxoxoxoxoxo

Rin woke up early on that particular morning to the sunshine dappling through the window slats. The warmth of the early sun caressed her face as she flung the shade wide open to smile brilliantly at the golden rays. Her room was bathed in the soft glow and it promised to be another beautiful day ahead.

_Perhaps this day would be the day Lord Sesshoumaru will allow her to rejoin Inuyasha_. The thought made her smile widened into a full blown grin. Really, she was getting better each day, critically assessing her reflection in the small mirror on the table. An abundance of good food and rest were definitely catalysts in quickening her recovery.

Unfortunately, the dog lord was the one who seemed to have a mental shutdown whenever the name of Inuyasha crop up in their conversations. But Rin was confident that once she presented him with the irrefutable proof of her well-being, there was no reason to delay the inevitable. Taking a few deep breaths, Rin inhaled and exhaled the crisp clean air. Her day normally started with a daily stroll in solitude. The soothing routine helped to center her thoughts and raised her mental stamina to maintain equanimity before beginning her day. She was determined to seek his audience. Rin knew she had the element of surprise on her side for she had rarely sought out his presence. Rin thought cheekily. Rin had done well to make herself as unobstrusive and had kept out of the well-oiled operations of the castle's inhabitants and their lord. But this would be a first and she felt a strange exhilaration coursing through her vein as she waited. She knew she would have several hours to mentally prepare for their eventual meeting since the maid had informed her that Lord Sesshoumaru was away until later that day on a domestic business. The maid did not seem to know much more and Rin did not feel right prying for additional information. It truly was not her place but she could not help but hope that there were no dangers to the lord.

Rin dressed quickly and was out in the edge of the east end of the garden where the sun was most prevalent. She could almost taste the wonderful scents emitted from the floral abundance and gazed around her enthusiastically. So many colors, so many hues. The garden had to be her favorite place in this beautiful but strange castle. There were no jealousies, no bickering, no whining in this little spot of hers. Just the simple pleasures of life in one small corner of her world. _Hers?_ Rin stopped midstride, completely baffled at the yearning that flitted through her mind. Since when did she think it was hers? Ridiculous that an unbidden thought of her wished that it was to be brushed aside quickly. She could not see Inuyasha and herself settling inside this castle even though it was big enough to ensure that they would never need to run into the lord unless they deliberately sought him. The sheer size of the castle could have easily housed several Inu generations, Rin stifled a nervous giggle at the turn of her thought. _So silly. As if that ever would happen_. She scoffed at herself.

She meandered slowly around the path, stooping at times to smell a particularly fragrant flower. She wanted to pluck some of them for her room but thought that would have been rude since she had never asked the owner and no one in the castle had given her permission to do so. Oh well, they were just as lovely out here.

The calm atmosphere was shattered as an arrow whizzed past her ear and lodged itself in the trunk of a spreading willow tree that was the garden's focal point.

Rin's defensive instincts kicked in and she assessed the area surrounding her quickly but did not find anything suspicious. Whoever that shot the arrow had quickly melted away into the shadowed part of the garden. But who had dared to trespass the lord's grounds unannounced and uninvited? Another quick scan to ensure no suspicious movement, Rin slowly approached the arrow and deftly pulled off a small parchment wounded tight around the stem.

She unfolded the paper and revulsion edged into her features.

_We have your healer. Meet us at the edge of the forest at the southern section of the castle. _

Not hesitating, she made her way to the edge of the forest, grateful that by force of habit, she was prepared for any and such adventures at anytime and anywhere.

The fresh morning dew on the grass was for once ignored by the girl as she hurried to the eastern section of the castle. The wild, untamed part of the forest rose to meet her view as she crossed the manicured landscape of the castle grounds. She could feel her heart beat galloping rapidly inside her chest. Aya. Anger and worry were equally felt as the girl bit her lips together, trying to stave off her anxiety.

Rin could only guess at the creature behind this crime. Surely Lyoko did not feel threatened to stoop to this level?

Walking as fast as she could, Rin came to a stop in a middle of a clearing when she saw ahead of her a bounded and gagged Aya by herself. Rin, anticipating a trap, approached the woman cautiously while concern deeply etched in the dark brown eyes.

"Aya-san. Are you all right?" Rin kneeled down and began to attempt to gently untie the bonds from Aya's hands and feet and the rags from her mouth. "Who did this to you?"

She saw Aya's eyes nodded but then widened fearfully before she had a chance to reply when a soft, chilly laughter was heard behind her.

"Such devotion." The owner of the voice sneered. "No wonder we are fooled by you humans." Her meaning was quite clear.

"I should have known that this was your doing." Rin turned around swiftly, placing herself directly between Aya and Lyoko. "Why do you persist that Lord Sesshoumaru feels something for me? Can't you see that he hates my kind? It is only under duress that I am staying under his roof."

"That woman was only bait to get you away from his eyes. She is no longer necessary to me." The demoness eyed the young girl, contempt written in those flashing blue eyes.

"_Don't lay a finger on her_." Rin's voice was soft but deadly. She planted hands on her hips, stance rigid and proud. "This does not concern her. I ought to kill you for trying to involve innocent bystanders in your crazy scheming."

"Kill me?" Lyoko laughed, a terribly screeching sound when it was not disguised in fake honey in front of Sesshoumaru. "How do you propose to do that? You are but a mere human." She snapped her fingers and two burly demon guards appeared instantly beside her. "You should be the one to beg for mercy."

"Let Aya-sama go and you can have me." Eyeing the approaching figures that Lyoko had summoned, Rin quickly became aware of Lyoko's intention. She would have to use her brain to get them both out of this sticky situation as quickly as possible. Forcing herself to calm, the girl realized she had to fight with her wit. Her voice gentled down, almost soothingly hypnotizing. "That's what you really are after, isn't it?"

"True. But dead people don't tell lies." The demoness smirked evilly.

Rin saw she was at a dead end and she could not hope to save Aya if she were to engage in fighting. "Listen, you can have me and I will cooperate fully if you release Aya-sama."

"I have no need to strike a bargain with you since you are at a disadvantage." Lyoko had to reluctantly admire the girl's persistence. The girl had some gall to dare making a deal with the demoness. Humans were such foolish, vain creatures.

"How are you going to disguise our deaths? Aya's village would find out what happened to her and will seek her out and Inuyasha will have your head on a platter."

Lyoko laughed at the courageous words the human girl spoke. True, there will be gossip as to why the healer had vanished into thin air. But this was the feudal time and mysterious things had happened that after a while, the humans seemed to be desensitized to such odd occurrences. With time, the healer would have been a faded memory. As for the girl. Yes, once Inuyasha found out, Lyoko could expect the hanyou to seek revenge but he was only a hanyou that she could easily defeat with her father's vast empire backing her up. The only one Rin forgot to mention was Sesshoumaru. He was the most powerful demon in the lands. It would not be good to cross him. _She_ was after all his former ward.

However Lyoko was ready with her plans to cover her tracks so well that no one would be wiser.

"My dear, you don't think that I have not thought this through already?" A smooth eyebrow raised mockingly over brittle blue eyes. "I am a poison demon and can create and disguise scents with my poisons. No one would be able to trace you here and no one, not even the great Lord Sesshoumaru's beautiful nose would be able to seek you out." Lyoko nonchalantly observed her finger tips. "It is really too bad that it had to end this way. But I covet his lands, his wealth and the lord himself and you are just an obstacle in my way." Lyoko spoke almost casually and saw Rin flinched under the weight of her words.

"You are crazy. I am _not_ in your way." She raised her palms up, trying to get Lyoko to see the sincerity of her words, her face earnestly pleading as she tried to keep the tremor from coloring her voice. She could not break down in front of the demoness. "I just ask that you spare Aya-sama and you can do as you wish with me. If you do this, Lady Lyoko, you cannot think that this is an honorable way that Lord Sesshoumaru will condone."

Lyoko was amazed. That human believed that Sesshoumaru possess a conscience. "Bah! You have put him on the pedestal, my dear. Given the same circumstances if his possessions are threatened, I believe the great Sesshoumaru will react the same way and probably with deadlier intent to remove his obstacles." Her voice mocked the girl's artlessness.

"That is not true." Brown eyes grew indignant at the slur on the lord. "He can be ruthless but never without provocation." The words escaped before Rin could stop her impulsive tongue. _How in the world did she know that?_ Rin was surprised at her vehement defense of the lord she barely knew. Sesshomaru hated obstacles but that was because they were in his ways. He was not one to seek out needless slaying or to destroy mindlessly.

She _knew_ this. Somehow, she_ knew _this for a fact as certain as the rising of the sun and the setting of the moon.

Her conviction in him was so strong and unwavering that it even surprised Lyoko.

"Still defending him, I see." Lyoko was starting to get bored. "No matter, it will be over rather quickly, I promise." With that, Lyoko signaled for her guards to attack the two humans.

They pressed the young woman by attacking her weak point, Aya, knowing that she would have the most difficult time watching not only for herself but for Aya as well. Actually, Rin did not watch out for herself as much. Her body began to feel the cuts of the swords from the guards, exposing herself more to keep the same thrusts from hitting Aya. Her human strength began to wane in the effort of keeping them both alive.

The healer was sad that she was too old and feeble to help Rin. Rin tried hard to keep Aya safe but the odds were against her. Facing the demoness and her two minions did not stack too much favor in Rin's corner. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Lyoko flicked a quick snap of her hands and the two opponents fell back at her command.

"Tch. Tch. You really are no opposition, are you? How pathetic that it was not even enjoyable." Sounding bored from playing cat-and-mouse with the girl, Lyoko turned to one of the minions and issued an order to unbound Aya. "Set her free but first, erase our scents from her person."

The minion bowed his head dutifully and cut the ropes to unbind Aya.

The older woman stretched her tired muscles feebly while her eyes were wet with tears as she turned them to Rin.

Rin nodded her head, fully intending to keep her end of the bargain. She came quickly over to where Aya was kneeling on the dirt and wrapped her arms around the older woman. "I am so sorry that you were involved in my problems. Please, Aya, return to your village and you will no longer be disturbed by them." Rin emphasized the last sentence as though to forcibly remind Lyoko of her promise.

The demoness in question snorted. How stupid that girl was worried about an old woman than to worry about her own neck. Lyoko found it irked her in some unexplained manner.

"Enough of the sentimentality. Old woman, disappear from my sight before I change my mind."

Rin let go of Aya and gently pushed her away. _She_ will be all right. Lyoko was probably too vain to get rid of Rin right away. She had no doubt the demoness was plotting ways and means to make the girl pay for apparently foiling her plan to catch the lord's eyes.

Definitely, Rin could think clearer of her escape plans if she didn't have Aya to worry over.

Rin motioned to Aya to head for home but the woman tried to cling to the younger girl as though afraid for the girl's safety.

"Sshh, Aya." Rin assured her when she saw tears of worry filled the old healer's eyes. "Hush. It will be all right." Her voice soothed, her small fingers squeezed Aya's shoulders gently before extricating herself from the tight grip that Aya placed on her.

The group watched the old woman trudged slowly into the forest and eventually disappeared from sight.

"All right. You are mine now." Lyoko turned back to face Rin once again with ill-intent plain on her face.

TBC


End file.
